Killer Sunset at The Sisters near Carson Pass
Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail
Need a Map? Lost Al near Lost Keys Lake
Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Thunderstorm, September.
Round Top Lake
Whitebarks and Grizzly Peak in Emigrant Wilderness under Tropical Clouds during September 2013
Lost Keys Lake
 

Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney
Trail Guide, Magazine, & High Sierra Backpacker's Trails and Topics Forums


HIGH SIERRA BACKPACKER'S
Calendar

 

November
2020

 

Important Seasonal Happenings, Transitions, Events, & Dates
for
High Sierra Backpackers

 

Road Conditions, Resupply, Seasonal Transition Concerns, Permit Dates, Weather, Water, and Mosquitoes

 

 

 

Previous Years
2019

2018

2017

 

THIS YEAR'S
News, Views, & Issues
November
2020
High Sierra
News
FALL to
WINTER
2019
Backpacker
Alerts

FIRE-SMOKE

2019
Natural Meltdown

High Sierra
Backpacking
TOPICS
High Sierra
Backpacking
TRAILS
High Sierra
Backpacking
FITNESS
High Sierra
Backpacking
SKILLS

High Sierra
RESUPPLY
High Sierra
PERMITS
High Sierra
WEATHER
High Sierra
Trail
GUIDE
INDEX
High Sierra
Trail
MAPS
INDEX
High Sierra
Trail
MILES
INDEX
Download
FONT

 

LAST YEAR"S
News
November
2019
High Sierra
News
FALL to
WINTER
2019
Backpacker
Alerts

FIRE-SMOKE

2019
Natural Meltdown

 

 


2020

High Sierra
Backpacking Calendar

2020 INDEX

January         February         March         April         May         June

July         August         September         October         November         December

 

November
2020

Last Week in October

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

TRAILHEAD

Last Year

 

November
2020

Looking back at the two Palisades Lakes below, with the Palisade Range
rising to their Right as we climb through shattered rock to Mather Pass

Muir Pass and Black Giant beyond Wanda Lake.
Turning around to take a last look at the Pallisade Lakes below, the Palisades Range surrounding them on the Right, and us hiking through the shattered rock leading South to Mather Pass.

Trail Guide           Map           Miles and Elevations: Not yet online

November 2020

Top of Page

January       February     March       April       May       June     July     August     September       October       November       December

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

 

 

 

NOVEMBER 2020

 

Deploy Winter Gear
Our “base” layers are typically brought from Fall to Winter Standards during the month of November.
Our shell layers are thickened to Winter Standards as well.
Winter Shell, boots, socks, gloves and camp gear all come into play. I love my down snow-camp booties!

Retire the water filter and bear canister.

 

Probabilities of Overnight Freezing Next Five Days

Current Weather Map

 

THINKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR?
You Should be...

November is the time to begin thinking about reserving permits in Desolation Wilderness or Yosemite National Park for next June. Half of each ‘s Wilderness Permits at these heavily used areas are available six months before the start date of the backpacking trip

2019 Status

 

 

2018 Status

The beginning of November has brought us One Storm since May, beeing the mini-downpours that happened on the second day of October. We are currently experiencing another Drought Fall, Otherwise known as, the, "New Normal."

 

 

 

2017 Status

Despite last Winter's extreme snowpack cancelling the early & middle of the Summer of 2017 Backpacking Season (for all but the strongest & most skilled) before it melted out, the end of the Summer into Fall turned brutally tropical HOT & DRY, again bringing record temps, record fires, vast smoke coverage, and sure looking exactly like every one of the last 7 or 8 preceeding, "drought Falls."

Except for last Winter's massive snowpack, you'd think the drought never really ended.

We need another wet Winter to put another nail into the drought's coffin. Let's watch how this Winter Evolves.

What Brings This Winter of 2017-2018?
Predictions and Probabilities for the Upcoming Winter

We enter November 2017 coming off
a
HEAT WAVE
moderating into
Temperate Weather
&
First Substantial Storm approaching
Winter of 2018

WINTER GEAR REQUIRED
November 3

 

 

 

 

2016 Status
High temp storms out of the Southwest have been bringing wet and snow conditions to the High Sierra. Wet and Cold conditions create a special kind of hazard that must be anticipated.

Early storms in Oct 2016 brought some drought relief to North Cal and snow along the whole Sierra Crest, it did little to alleviate SoCal Drought

We enter November 2016 with
a
COLD & WET GEAR ALERT

 

 

More
High Sierra
Backpacker Information

High Sierra
News of Nature & Science for Backpackers

 

 

 

LET'S GO BACKPACKING

Guide Trailhead

Guide Index

High Sierra Magazine

Blog-Forums

 

 


MORE

Navigation Information
Time & Space

 

 

High Sierra Backpacker
Trail Skills

 

26

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

TOP

27

 


28

 

29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week
TOP


30

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

2

 

 

3

 

4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week
TOP

5

 

6

 

7

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

8

 

End of Daylight Savings

Spring Forward, Fall Back...

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

THE DST RULES
NIST

PDT
Information

Move clocks one hour back in time.

Why do we think we can manipulate Time & Nature, when the main thing we are changing, screwing-up, is ourselves?

Well, Nature too...

9

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

10

 

11

 

 

 

 

 

This Week
TOP

12

 

 

13

 

14

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

15

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week
TOP

19

 

20

 

 

21

 

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

22

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

23

 

 

 

This Week
TOP

24

 

 


25

 

26

 

27

 

28

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

29

.

LAST WEEK

NEXT MONTH

Top

 

30

 

31

 

2018 Calendar

 


1 2

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week
TOP

4

 

 

NOVEMBER 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

Deploy Winter Gear
Our “base” layers are typically brought from Fall to Winter Standards during the month of November.
Our shell layers are thickened to Winter Standards as well.
Winter Shell, boots, socks, gloves and camp gear all come into play. I love my down snow-camp booties!

Retire the water filter and bear canister.

 

Probabilities of Overnight Freezing Next Five Days

Current Weather Map

 

THINKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR?
You Should be...

November is the time to begin thinking about reserving permits in Desolation Wilderness or Yosemite National Park for next June. Half of each ‘s Wilderness Permits at these heavily used areas are available six months before the start date of the backpacking trip

2019 Status

 

 

2018 Status

The beginning of November has brought us One Storm since May, beeing the mini-downpours that happened on the second day of October. We are currently experiencing another Drought Fall, Otherwise known as, the, "New Normal."

 

 

 

2017 Status

Despite last Winter's extreme snowpack cancelling the early & middle of the Summer of 2017 Backpacking Season (for all but the strongest & most skilled) before it melted out, the end of the Summer into Fall turned brutally tropical HOT & DRY, again bringing record temps, record fires, vast smoke coverage, and sure looking exactly like every one of the last 7 or 8 preceeding, "drought Falls."

Except for last Winter's massive snowpack, you'd think the drought never really ended.

We need another wet Winter to put another nail into the drought's coffin. Let's watch how this Winter Evolves.

What Brings This Winter of 2017-2018?
Predictions and Probabilities for the Upcoming Winter

We enter November 2017 coming off
a
HEAT WAVE
moderating into
Temperate Weather
&
First Substantial Storm approaching
Winter of 2018

WINTER GEAR REQUIRED
November 3

 

 

 

 

2016 Status
High temp storms out of the Southwest have been bringing wet and snow conditions to the High Sierra. Wet and Cold conditions create a special kind of hazard that must be anticipated.

Early storms in Oct 2016 brought some drought relief to North Cal and snow along the whole Sierra Crest, it did little to alleviate SoCal Drought

We enter November 2016 with
a
COLD & WET GEAR ALERT

 

 

More
High Sierra
Backpacker Information

High Sierra
News of Nature & Science for Backpackers

 

 

 

LET'S GO BACKPACKING

Guide Trailhead

Guide Index

High Sierra Magazine

Blog-Forums

 

 


MORE

Navigation Information
Time & Space

 

 

High Sierra Backpacker
Trail Skills

29 October

RISING AM WINDS
TEMPERATE

LIGHT LATE PM WINDS


 

 


MULTIPLE HAZARDS
--FIRE-WIND-SMOKE--
--AIR QUALITY--

NW Sierra
--RED FLAG--

SMOKE & FIRE

HAZARDS

--SACTO--

HANFORD--RENO

Winds rising today.

SACTO
RED FLAG

 


HANFORD
SMOKE-AIR HAZARD

RED FLAG WED

 

RENO
LAKE WIND

 

Hazard Zone
Point Forecasts

West Flank Forecast

Lake Isabella Forecast

Lake Tahoe Forecast

 

Kincade Fire,
Sonoma County.
CAL FIRE

 

 

The Second
Great
PGE
California
Power-Down

Day 4

PGE briefly restoring some power before turning it off for today and tomorrow's rising winds.

Much like
The First Great
Power-Down

 

Background
Bribed Dems Make Us Pay PGE to Burn Us Down
Our,
"Stewards,"
of
Nature
are
Servants of Greed

The First
Ca-PGE Power-Down

October 9, 2019

 

TEMPERATE
Days

COLD
Nights

 

 

CCC
Backcountry Trail Crew
Applications due
EARLY FEB 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 October

RISING MID-AM WINDS
COOL & CLEAR

LIGHT LATE PM WINDS
Firefighter's Progressing

DANGER
Cold Temperatures
Coming




MULTIPLE HAZARDS
--FIRE-WIND-SMOKE--
--AIR QUALITY--

NW Sierra
--RED FLAG--

SMOKE & FIRE

HAZARDS

--SACTO--

HANFORD--RENO

Winds rising today.

SACTO
RED FLAG

 


HANFORD
SMOKE-AIR HAZARD

RED FLAG WED

 

RENO
LAKE WIND

 

Hazard Zone
Point Forecasts

West Flank Forecast

Lake Isabella Forecast

Lake Tahoe Forecast

 

 

 

 

Fire & Smoke

 

The Second
Great
PGE
California
Power-Down

Day 5

PGE restoring power.

 

 

Much like
The First Great
Power-Down

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

31 October

Halloween

COOL & CLEAR

End of Red Flags
(Except LA: To 6pm)

Fire & Smoke
HAZARDS

CONTINUE

 

HAZARDS

 

All
Fire & Smoke
Information

Just the Smoke

 

 

MesoWest
Ca Report'n Stations
SET FOR
Winds

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 


FULL FALL KIT
REQUIRED

(As of Sept 27)
Gear Lists

 

GEAR NOTE
Add Winter Gear
Elements
as
REQUIRED

(As of Oct 11)

 

 

 

 

2019

Sept 12, 2019,
Blob Article
Massive 2019 Blob Forms

11-18
"El Nino El Norte?"

 

Oct 20, 2019 :
Elements of Blob & Ridge Building-In

 

 

 

2018

RED FLAG WARNING

Weather Notes

1> RED FLAG WARNING,
NW & Central-West Sierra

WINTER OMENS
2> We've had a Big Blob off NW USA, now up in Gulf Alaska, for a while now.

October 2018: The Blob is Back?

SST & El Nino Data

 

 

2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

1

CLEAR & HOT
Hot for November

WARM
Days

COLD
Nights

 

 

Informative
"Normal" Vs. Now

Forcasts & Reality
vs.
Averages

 

Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

SoCal & SW US

 

Precipitation

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
RAIN FORECASTS

 

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture

The Pacific Ocean

Set this for 14 days
&
Display Loop Below

 

US Weather Map

 

All Maps

 

All
High Sierra Weather
And the factors creating it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
Snow & Temp Check

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST MONTH

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

2

CLEAR & HOT
Hot for November

WARM
Days

COLD
Nights

 

Seven Day
Freezing Temperature Probability

Station Reports
SIXTH

--Fall--
Temp Snow Checks

November 2
2019

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Oct 28

Next Report:
Nov 9

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Southwest Tahoe
Trail Map with Stations

PCT-TYT-TRT
Rubicon
0.0 2.0
(0.20) +0.20
7618 feet
Trail Map
56 & 39 +/+

PCT-TYT-TRT
Echo Peak
0.0
(0.30) 0.20
7652 feet
Stations Map
60 & 40 +/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Carson Pass
(0.20) +0.20
8388 feet
Trail Map
Stations Map
57 & 35 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

PCT-TYT
Ebbetts Pass 2.0
1
(0.10) =
8660 feet
Trail Map
59 & 35 +/+

West of PCT
Highlands Meadow 1.40
1.37
(0.24)
+0.21
8360 feet
Trail Map
56 & 29 +/+

EAST FLANK
Leavitt Lake
0 =
(0.00) =
9602 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
55 & 40 +/+

EAST FLANK
Marine Base
Cold Weather Training

6748 feet East Flank
Trail Map Above
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-
WIND
70 & 17 +/+

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Sonora Pass

Kennedy Meadows
RESUPPLY
Deadman Creek

0.38 +0.6
(--.--)
9250 feet,West Flank,
Trail Map
58 & 27 +/+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

SW of TYT
Horse Meadow 0.??
8602 feet
Trail Map
58 & 26 +/+

Tenaya Lake
(00.00) =
8163 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
60 & 25 +/+

JMT-PCT-TYT
Tuolumne Meadows
0.16 −0.87
(0.00)
8600 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
62 & 22 +/+

Tioga Pass/Dana
0.00 =
(0.0) =
9798 feet
Trail Map
55 & 25 +/+

Mammoth Mountain

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

East of PCT-JMT
Above Gem Lake
Gem Pass
(error)
10750 feet
Trail Map
temps bad

JMT-PCT Junction
Devils Postpile
.00 03
(.057) =.057
8004 feet
Trail Map Above
64 & 22 +/+

NE of JMT-PCT
Mammoth Pass
0.61 +0.52
(0.48) =
9500 feet
Trail Map
59 & 35 +/+

JMT-PCT
E of Bear Ridge

Volcanic Knob
1.70 +0.9
(0.00) =
10100 feet
Trail Map
55 & 28 +/+

East Flank
South Lake Cabin

(27.50) =
9580 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
61 & 33 +/+

East Flank
Big Pine Sawmill

2.50 +0.4
10200 feet, East Flank
Trail Map Above
52 & 27 +/+

Kings River

Just East JMT-PCT
Bishop Pass

11972 feet
Trail Map Above
47 & 33 +/+

Just West JMT-PCT
Charlotte Lake
0.05 +0.03
10398 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
50 & 28 +/+
(Typically the coldest station)

Kern Watershed

JMT-PCT
Upr Tyndall Creek

0.85 =
11441 feet
Trail Map
53 & 34 +/+

JMT
Crabtree Meadow

(26.93) +0.15
10,700 feet
Trail Map
53 & 28 −/−

 

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

More Stations, by Watersheds

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

3

CLEAR, CALM
&
HOT
Hot for November

All Fires
Coming Under Control,
No or Light Winds,
No Hazards.

WARM
Days

COLD
Nights

 

Fire & Smoke

 

End of Daylight Savings

Spring Forward, Fall Back...

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

THE DST RULES
NIST

PDT
Information

Move clocks one hour back in time.

Why do we think we can manipulate Time & Nature, when the main thing we are changing, screwing-up, is ourselves?

Well, Nature too...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Check

4

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Temperate Day
Hot for November

 

A Week
Of
Clear, Warm Days
&
Potentially
Cold Nights
AHEAD

Fine
Fall Backpacking
Weather

For the fit, geared, properly experienced backpacker...

The Standard
I am physically able to navigate out if two feet of unexpected snow falls...

All Forecast Zones

 

WARM
Days

COLD
Nights

 

All
Fire & Smoke
Information

Just the Smoke

 

 

 

View of Sierra on
Nov 4 by the...

MODIS
SIERRA SATELLITE

 

 

BEST
FORECASTS

HAZARDS

 

Precipitation
General

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
ALL
RAIN FORECASTS
&
MODELS

 

Direct to
Seven Day Precip
Animation

 

Precipitation
Geographic

All High Sierra
ZONE & POINT
FORECASTS

 

All High Sierra
ZONE
FORECASTS

 

Now

RADAR

 

Direct
to
GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

Forecast
Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

Region, SW US

 

Forecast
Temperatures

Model
Five Day Mean
Low Temps

Click Green "Latest" Model,
observe using step button

All Temps

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture
Surface Map

The Pacific Ocean

US Weather Map

All Maps

 

5

Guy Fawkes Day

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Temperate Day,
Warm for November

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

Note
FULL FALL KIT
REQUIRED

(As of Sept 27)
Gear Lists

 

GEAR NOTE
Add Winter Gear
Elements
as
REQUIRED

(As of Oct 11)

 

 

 

6

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Cooler Day
Major Fog off US Coast...

Huge Blocking Ridge
off
West Coast
Since
October 20

 

View
The Polar Vortex

2017
New Winter Pattern?

2018
"The Blob & the Resiliant Ridge"

2019
Massive
2019 Blob Forms

 

MAPS

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

7

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Cooler Day
Major Fog off US Coast...

Kincade Fire
(CalFire)
Contained

Fire & Smoke

 

All
Fire & Smoke
Information

Just the Smoke

HAZARDS

 

 

 

 

More
High Sierra
Backpacker Information

Guide Trailhead

Guide Index

High Sierra Magazine

HIGH SIERRA TRAILS FORUMS

HIGH SIERRA TOPICS FORUMS

GEAR FORUMS

GEAR LIST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

8

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Temperate Day
Major Fog off
SW US Coast...

 

Seven Day
Freezing Temperature Probability

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

REALTIME
High Sierra Crestline
Reporting Stations

Compare Today
with
Temperatures
on
Nov 16

Nov 9

Nov 2

Oct 28

Oct 14

Sept 29

Sept 25

Aug 16th

 

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

Selected
Crestline Stations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
Snow & Temp Check

2018

Early November
(feels like June-July)
Second Major Fire Season of 2018 begins...

FIRES START

Fire Reports

 

2018

Weather Notes

Same as on October 31...

1> RED FLAG WARNING,
NW & Central-West Sierra

WINTER OMENS
2> We've had a Big Blob off NW USA, now up in Gulf Alaska, for a while now.

October 2018: The Blob is Back?

SST & El Nino Data

Now, a Big High has been setting up in a position with behavior reminiscent of the Big Blocking Ridge that characterized the depths of the drough in '15.

The Big Blocking Ridge an Existential Threat

North Pacific Maps

See the 31st, above

9

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Temperate Day
Major Fog off SW
US Coast...

Cold Central & East Coast US:
U.S. Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook

View
Polar Vortex

Reference: 1-2019
Polar Vortex Sliding off Top of Planet, Arctic Weather Plunges into North America

 

Informative
"Normal" Vs. Now

Forcasts & Reality
vs.
Averages

 

Station Reports
SEVENTH

--Fall--
Temp Snow Checks

November 9
2019

10pm-10pm

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Nov 2

Next Report:
Nov 16

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Southwest Tahoe
Trail Map with Stations

PCT-TYT-TRT
Rubicon
0.0 =0.0
(0.40) +0.20
7618 feet
Trail Map
57 & 44 +/+

PCT-TYT-TRT
Echo Peak
0.0 =
(0.30) =
7652 feet
Stations Map
60 & 44 =/+

American-Yuba Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Carson Pass 0 =
(0.20) =
8388 feet
Trail Map
Stations Map
58 & 36 +/+

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

PCT-TYT
Ebbetts Pass 2.0
=
(0.20) +0.10
8660 feet
Trail Map
58 & 41 −/+

West of PCT
Highlands Meadow
0.19
1.37
(0.21)
0.03
8360 feet
Trail Map
59 & 31 +/+

EAST FLANK
Leavitt Lake
0 =
(0.10) +0.10
9602 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
54 & 40 /=

EAST FLANK
Marine Base
Cold Weather Training

6748 feet East Flank
Trail Map Above
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-
WIND
69 & 17 /=

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Sonora Pass

Kennedy Meadows
RESUPPLY
Deadman Creek

0.42 +0.4
(--.--)
9250 feet,West Flank,
Trail Map
60 & 24 +/

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

SW of TYT
Horse Meadow 0.??
8602 feet
Trail Map
58 & 22 =/

Tenaya Lake
(00.00) =
8163 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
60 & 23 =/

JMT-PCT-TYT
Tuolumne Meadows

0.40 +0.24
(0.00)
8600 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
62 & 19 =/

Tioga Pass/Dana
0.00 =
(0.0) =
9798 feet
Trail Map
55 & 26 =/+

Mammoth Mountain

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

East of PCT-JMT
Above Gem Lake
Gem Pass
(error)
10750 feet
Trail Map
temps bad

JMT-PCT Junction
Devils Postpile
.00 =
(.057) =
8004 feet
Trail Map Above
64 & 19 +/

NE of JMT-PCT
Mammoth Pass
0.79 +0.18
(0.48) =
9500 feet
Trail Map
54 & 35 /=

JMT-PCT
E of Bear Ridge

Volcanic Knob
1.80 +0.1
(0.00) =
10100 feet
Trail Map
57 & 24 +/

East Flank
South Lake Cabin

0 =
(27.50) =
9580 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
60 & 31 /

East Flank
Big Pine Sawmill

2.30 0.2
10200 feet, East Flank
Trail Map Above
51 & 23 /

Kings River

Just East JMT-PCT
Bishop Pass

11972 feet
Trail Map Above
47 & 31 =/

Just West JMT-PCT
Charlotte Lake
0.09 +0.05
10398 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
54 & 25 +/
(Typically the coldest station)

Kern Watershed

JMT-PCT
Upr Tyndall Creek

1.11 +.26
11441 feet
Trail Map
52 & 35 /+

JMT
Crabtree Meadow

(26.88) 0.05
10,700 feet
Trail Map
53 & 24 =/−

 

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

More Stations, by Watersheds

 

 

2018

Camp Fire,
Butte Co, Calfire

Woolsey Fire,
Ventura County FD

 

Fire Reports

2018

Widespread
North Calif
Red Flag Warnings

Hazard Map

 

 

 

 

 

2017

Last Year's Fires
Early October, 2017

 

2017
Snow & Temp Check

 

 

What Happened Now?

2017

Review Second Week of November

2016
November 2016

2015
November 2015

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

10

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Temperate Day
Major Fog off SW
US Coast...

Cold Central & East Coast US:
U.S. Day 3-7 Hazards Outlook

View
Polar Vortex

Reference: 1-2019
Polar Vortex Sliding off Top of Planet, Arctic Weather Plunges into North America

 

Two Days
Of
Clear, Warm Days
&
Potentially
Cold Nights
AHEAD

High Breaking Down
On the 13th

Clouding Up Tuesday
Front/Low Passing
North of Sierra...
See
Oct 6
&
Nov 20

Fine
Fall Backpacking
Weather

For the fit, geared, properly experienced backpacker...

The Standard
I am physically able to navigate out if two feet of unexpected snow falls...

All Forecast Zones

 

WARM
Days

COLD
Nights

 

 

Note
FULL FALL KIT
REQUIRED

(As of Sept 27)
Gear Lists

 

GEAR NOTE
Add Winter Gear
Elements
as
REQUIRED

(As of Oct 11)

 

 

Informative
"Normal" Vs. Now

Forcasts & Reality
vs.
Averages

 

 

Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

SoCal & SW US

 

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture

The Pacific Ocean

Set this for 14 days
&
Display Loop Below

 

US Weather Map

 

All Maps

 

All
High Sierra Weather
And the factors creating it

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018

3rd Week of November: California on Fire

Fire Report

 

2017

Review Second Week of November

11

VETS DAY

Temperate Day

 

BEST
FORECASTS

HAZARDS

 

Precipitation
General

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
ALL
RAIN FORECASTS
&
MODELS

 

Direct to
Seven Day Precip
Animation

 

Precipitation
Geographic

All High Sierra
ZONE & POINT
FORECASTS

 

All High Sierra
ZONE
FORECASTS

 

Now

RADAR

 

Direct
to
GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

Forecast
Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

Region, SW US

 

Forecast
Temperatures

Model
Five Day Mean
Low Temps

Click Green "Latest" Model,
observe using step button

All Temps

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture
Surface Map

The Pacific Ocean

US Weather Map

All Maps

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018

California on Fire

 

 

 

12

 

Temperate Day

 

Informative
"Normal" Vs. Now

Forcasts & Reality
vs.
Averages

 

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

 

 

13

CLEAR, CALM
&
CRISP
A Temperate Day
Major Fog off Ca Coast...

Warm, High Humidity

PM Clouding Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
FIRE REPORTS

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Check

 

 

 

14

CLOUDY,
LIGHT WINDS,
&
CRISP

Cooler, Still A
Temperate Day

BLOCKING RIDGE
BROKEN
(For a Day or Two...)

MAPS

High Humidity

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

15

GENTLE DAY

High Building Back In

 

SMOKE
The Sierra
on
Nov 15, 2018
by...

MODIS
SIERRA SATELLITE

All Sat Views

 

 

 

 

 

REALTIME
High Sierra Crestline
Reporting Stations

Compare Today
with
Temperatures
on
Nov 16

Nov 9

Nov 2

Oct 28

Oct 14

Sept 29

Sept 25

Aug 16th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018
Snow & Temp Check

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

16

GENTLE DAY
Another Temperate Day

High Building Back In

 

 

Station Reports
EIGHTH

--Fall--
Temp Snow Checks

November 16
2019

Noon-Noon

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Nov 9

Next Report:
Nov 20

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Southwest Tahoe
Trail Map with Stations

PCT-TYT-TRT
Rubicon
0.0 =0.0
(0.30) 0.10
7618 feet
Trail Map
48 & 30 −/−

PCT-TYT-TRT
Echo Peak
0.0 =
(0.40) +0.10
7652 feet
Stations Map
52 & 37 −/−

American-Yuba Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Carson Pass 0 =
(0.10) 0.10
8388 feet
Trail Map
Stations Map
51 & 34 −/−

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

PCT-TYT
Ebbetts Pass 2.0
=
(0.00) 0.20
8660 feet
Trail Map
51 & 33−/−

West of PCT
Highlands Meadow
0.60
+0.41
(0.53) +0.32
8360 feet
Trail Map
51 & 31 /=

EAST FLANK
Leavitt Lake
0 =
(0.10) +0.10
9602 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
47 & 32 /

EAST FLANK
Marine Base
Cold Weather Training

6748 feet East Flank
Trail Map Above
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-
WIND
62 & 25 /+

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Sonora Pass

Kennedy Meadows
RESUPPLY
Deadman Creek

0.43 +0.01
(--.--)
9250 feet,West Flank,
Trail Map
58 & 29 /+

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

SW of TYT
Horse Meadow 0.??
8602 feet
Trail Map
54 & 30 /+

Tenaya Lake
(00.00) =
8163 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
61 & 26 +/+

JMT-PCT-TYT
Tuolumne Meadows

1.35 +0.95
(0.00)
8600 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
60 & 23 /+

Tioga Pass/Dana
0.00 =
(0.0) =
9798 feet
Trail Map
50 & 25/

Mammoth Mountain

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

East of PCT-JMT
Above Gem Lake
Gem Pass
(error)
10750 feet
Trail Map
temps bad

JMT-PCT Junction
Devils Postpile
.00 =
(.057) =
8004 feet
Trail Map Above
60 & 25 /+

NE of JMT-PCT
Mammoth Pass
0.44 0.35
(0.48) =
9500 feet
Trail Map
53 & 29 /

JMT-PCT
E of Bear Ridge

Volcanic Knob
1.60 0.2
(0.00) =
10100 feet
Trail Map
52 & 25 /+

East Flank
South Lake Cabin

0 =
(27.50) =
9580 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
55 & 28 /

East Flank
Big Pine Sawmill

2.10 0.2
10200 feet, East Flank
Trail Map Above
46 & 23 /=

Kings River

Just East JMT-PCT
Bishop Pass

11972 feet
Trail Map Above
43 & 29 /

Just West JMT-PCT
Charlotte Lake
0.09 +0.05
10398 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
51 & 26 /+
(Typically the coldest station)

Kern Watershed

JMT-PCT
Upr Tyndall Creek

1.11 +.26
11441 feet
Trail Map
49 & 31 /

JMT
Crabtree Meadow

(27.16) +0.28
10,700 feet
Trail Map
51 & 26 −/+

 

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

More Stations, by Watersheds

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

17

.

GENTLE DAY
Another Temperate Day

High Breaking Down
Tomorrow

Weak Snow
Tues-Wed

BACKPACKER WEATHER WARNING

 

 

BEST
FORECASTS

HAZARDS

 

Precipitation
General

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
ALL
RAIN FORECASTS
&
MODELS

 

Direct to
Seven Day Precip
Animation

 

Precipitation
Geographic

All High Sierra
ZONE & POINT
FORECASTS

 

All High Sierra
ZONE
FORECASTS

 

Now

RADAR

 

Direct
to
GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

Forecast
Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

Region, SW US

 

Forecast
Temperatures

Model
Five Day Mean
Low Temps

Click Green "Latest" Model,
observe using step button

All Temps

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture
Surface Map

The Pacific Ocean

US Weather Map

All Maps

 

 

 

 

2018

3rd Week of November: California on Fire

2018

Temperate-Cool
Smoked
(All smoke resources)

DIRE FIRE(S)

COLD NIGHTS

Massive N Cal Smoke

Fire Report

 

Red Flag Warnings
&
Smoke Hazards

RED FLAG WARNING
Camp Fire over Weekend

Forecast

SMOKE HAZARD
WARNING OVER
SAN J VALLEY

This Smoke Warning should cover, or at least be heeded by all sensible folks anywhere in the whole San J Valley, and most parts of Northern California.

Camp Fire @ 55%
containment

Woolsey Fire @ 82%
containment

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Check

 

18

 

CLOUDY,
LIGHT WINDS,
&
CRISP

Cooler, Still A
Temperate Day

BLOCKING RIDGE
BROKEN
(For a Day...)

HIGH BUILDING
BACK-IN

MAPS

 

 

Selected
Weather Resources

 

Surface Low Pressure Tracks

 

Radar

 

Visible Satellites

 

Water Vapor Satellites

 

MAPS

 

Sierra Forecasts

 

Western US Forecasts

 

Precip Animation & Charts

 

Graphical Precip Forecast

 

All Sierra Snow Info

 

Sierra Sensor Networks

 

Watersheds and Selected Network of Crestline Sensors

 

High Sierra Highways

 

All Weather Information

19

HAZARDS

CLOUDY,
LIGHT WINDS,
&
CRISP

Cooler, Still A
Temperate Day

BLOCKING RIDGE
BROKEN
(For a Day...)

HIGH BUILDING
BACK-IN
Off Coast

MAPS

 

HAZARDS

FIRE & ICE

WINTER WEATHER
RENO

WINTER STORM WARNING
HANFORD

RED FLAG
SACTO

 

 

The Third
Great
PGE
California
Power-Down
Tomorrow?

Yup.

PGE
Powerdown Map

 

First
Great
PGE POWERDOWN
Oct 9 to Oct 11

Second
Great
PGE POWERDOWN
Oct 26 to Oct 30

 

October 10
About
The PGE Powerdown

 

 

 

PACK STATUS
Gear

Snow Ready
Add Elements of our Winter Gear Kit:

Tracking the Seasons

 

LONG PERSPECTIVE
See 2018 Reference below, when the first substantial Winter Storms of November put out the raging Camp Fire...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017
Fourth Week November

20

 

CLOUDY,
GUSTING PM WINDS,
&
CRISP

Cooler, Still A
Temperate Day

LOW
Off SE Flank of Sierra

SIERRA
Getting Snow Dusted

COLD HAZARD

COLD
Nights

 

 

The Third
Great
PGE
California
Power-Down:

Northern Cal Counties
off overnight

About
The PGE Powerdown

 

 

Station Reports
NINTH

--Fall--
Temp Snow Checks

November 20
2019

Noon-Noon

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Nov 16

Next Report:
Nov 27

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Southwest Tahoe
Trail Map with Stations

PCT-TYT-TRT
Rubicon
0.0 =0.0
(0.30) =0.00
7618 feet
Trail Map
44 & 30 −/=

PCT-TYT-TRT
Echo Peak
3.0 +3
(0.70) +0.30
7652 feet
Stations Map
43 & 29 −/−

American-Yuba Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Carson Pass 1 +1
(0.50) +0.40
8388 feet
Trail Map
Stations Map
40 & 26 −/−

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

PCT-TYT
Ebbetts Pass 3.0
+1
(0.50) +0.50
8660 feet
Trail Map
42 & 26 −/−

West of PCT
Highlands Meadow
1.28
+0.68
(0.--) -.--
8360 feet
Trail Map
40 & 24 /

EAST FLANK
Leavitt Lake
0 =
(0.30) +0.20
9602 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
36 & 23 /

EAST FLANK
Marine Base
Cold Weather Training

6748 feet East Flank
Trail Map Above
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-
WIND
35 & 27 /+

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Sonora Pass

Kennedy Meadows
RESUPPLY
Deadman Creek

0.400.03
(--.--)
9250 feet,West Flank,
Trail Map
38 & 17 /

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

SW of TYT
Horse Meadow
0.4 +0.4
8602 feet
Trail Map
41 & 24 /

Tenaya Lake
0.20 +0.20
(0.01) +0.01
8163 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
42 & 24 /

JMT-PCT-TYT
Tuolumne Meadows

0.00 1.35
(0.00) =
8600 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
46 & 16 /

Tioga Pass/Dana
0.10 +0.10
(0.0) =
9798 feet
Trail Map
40 & 15/

Mammoth Mountain

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

East of PCT-JMT
Above Gem Lake
Gem Pass
(error)
10750 feet
Trail Map
temps bad

JMT-PCT Junction
Devils Postpile
.00 =
(0.61) +0.04
8004 feet
Trail Map Above
47 & 26 /+

NE of JMT-PCT
Mammoth Pass
2.6 +2.16
(0.48) =
9500 feet
Trail Map
39 & 22 /

JMT-PCT
E of Bear Ridge

Volcanic Knob
1.20 0.4
(0.00) =
10100 feet
Trail Map
42 & 14 /

East Flank
South Lake Cabin

0 =
(27.50) =
9580 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
46 & 22 /

East Flank
Big Pine Sawmill

1.6 0.5
10200 feet, East Flank
Trail Map Above
40 & 20 /

Kings River

Just East JMT-PCT
Bishop Pass

(0.0) =
11972 feet
Trail Map Above
35 & 16 /

Just West JMT-PCT
Charlotte Lake
4.04 +3.95
10398 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
41 & 19 /
(Typically the coldest station)

Kern Watershed

JMT-PCT
Upr Tyndall Creek

0.63 .48
11441 feet
Trail Map
41 & 19 /

JMT
Crabtree Meadow

(26.86)0.30
10,700 feet
Trail Map
42 & 17 −/−

 

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

More Stations, by Watersheds

 

21

 

CLOUDY
&
CRISP

Cooler, Still A
Temperate Day

Winds Dropping AM
Calm PM

LOW
Off SE Flank of Sierra

SIERRA
Getting Snow Dusted

COLD HAZARD

COLD
Nights

 

The Third
Great
PGE
California
Power-Down:

Northern Cal Counties
powering up today

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

Note
FULL FALL KIT
REQUIRED

(As of Sept 27)
Gear Lists

 

GEAR NOTE
Add Winter Gear
Elements
as
REQUIRED

(As of Oct 11)

!?!
Time to start thinking about being ready for snow with Even MORE Elements of our Winter Gear Kit?

YUP.

 

 

REALTIME
High Sierra Crestline
Reporting Stations

Compare Today
with
Temperatures
on
Nov 16

Nov 9

Nov 2

Oct 28

Oct 14

Sept 29

Sept 25

Aug 16th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2018

End
of
Second Fire Season
of
2018:
NOVEMBER RAIN

STORM HERE
End of Smoke & Fire

Mountain Highways
Closing?

CLOSED TODAY

Wet & Cool
Smoke Dissapated
(All smoke resources)

FIRE

WINTER STORM

N Cal Smoke Going Away

Fire Report

 


FLASH FLOOD
Warnings

WINTER
Warnings

 


Storms Here

FLASH FLOOD WARNING
Camp Fire This Week

More

 

 

 

 

 

 

22

 

CLOUDY
MOUNTAINS,
CLEAR
COAST & INLAND,
&
CRISP

AIR
Cooler, Still A
Temperate Day

 

HAZARD WARNING
THANKSGIVING WEEK
RENO
North & East Sierra

"Potent Winter Storm"

 

 

Review
Reporting Stations

Current
Sat View

All Sat Views

HIGH BUILDING
BACK-IN

MAPS

 

FIVE NICE DAYS
AHEAD

TEMPERATE
Days

COLD
Nights

 

All Temp Forecasts

 

 

Informative
"Normal" Vs. Now

Forcasts & Reality
vs.
Averages

 

Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

SoCal & SW US

 

Precipitation

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
RAIN FORECASTS

 

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture

The Pacific Ocean

Set this for 14 days
&
Display Loop Below

 

US Weather Map

 

All Maps

 

All
High Sierra Weather
And the factors creating it

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

23

 

CLEAR
&
CRISP

AIR
Cool, Still A
Temperate Day

 

HAZARD WARNING
THANKSGIVING WEEK
RENO
North & East Sierra

"Potent Winter Storm"

 

HIGH SIERRA
All Snow Info
SNOW STATUS & FORECASTS

Direct
Two Day
Snow Forecast

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

BEST
FORECASTS

HAZARDS

 

Precipitation
General

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
ALL
RAIN FORECASTS
&
MODELS

 

Direct to
Seven Day Precip
Animation

 

Precipitation
Geographic

All High Sierra
ZONE & POINT
FORECASTS

 

All High Sierra
ZONE
FORECASTS

 

Now

RADAR

 

Direct
to
GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

Forecast
Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

Region, SW US

 

Forecast
Temperatures

Model
Five Day Mean
Low Temps

Click Green "Latest" Model,
observe using step button

All Temps

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture
Surface Map

The Pacific Ocean

US Weather Map

All Maps

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT WEEK

TOP

 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

24

CLEAR
&
CRISP

AIR
Cool, Still A
Temperate Day

 

 

 

HAZARD WARNING
THANKSGIVING WEEK
RENO
North & East Sierra

"Potent Winter Storm"

 

UPCOMING
WINTER-COLD
STORM HAZARDS

Lee Vining Forecast

RENO
WINTER STORM WARNING

SACTO
WINTER STORM WARNING

Cherry Lake Forecast

 

 

HAZARDS

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT MONTH

TOP

 

25

CLEAR
&
CRISP

AIR
Cool, Still A
Temperate Day

INCREASING PM WINDS

HAZARDS

HAZARD WARNING
THANKSGIVING WEEK
RENO
North & East Sierra

"Potent Winter Storm"

 

UPCOMING
WINTER-COLD
STORM HAZARDS

Cherry Lake Forecast

Lee Vining Forecast

Lake Thomas Edison

RENO
WINTER STORM WARNING

SACTO
WINTER STORM WARNING

HANFORD
WINTER STORM WARNING

 

FULL
WINTER GEAR

REQUIRED
Tomorrow

 

Note
FULL FALL KIT
REQUIRED

(As of Sept 27)
Gear Lists

 

GEAR NOTE
Add Winter Gear
Elements
as
REQUIRED

(As of Oct 11)

 

!?!
Time to start thinking about being ready for snow with Even MORE Elements of our Winter Gear Kit?
(As of Oct 21)

YUP.

 

 

LAST WEEK

NEXT MONTH

TOP

 

 

HIGH SIERRA
All Snow Info
SNOW STATUS & FORECASTS

 

Direct
Two Day
Snow Forecast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017

Review Fifth Week of November

26

RISING PM SHOWERS
WINTER STORM

FIRST of the YEAR

HAZARDS

RENO
WINTER STORM WARNING

SACTO
WINTER STORM WARNING

HANFORD
WINTER STORM WARNING

 

Cherry Lake Forecast

Lee Vining Forecast

Lake Thomas Edison

 

 

 

Informative
"Normal" Vs. Now

Forcasts & Reality
vs.
Averages

 

Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

SoCal & SW US

 

Precipitation

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
RAIN-SNOW FORECASTS

 

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture

The Pacific Ocean

Set for 14 days
&
Display Loop Below

 

US Weather Map

 

All Maps

 

All
High Sierra Weather
And the factors creating it

 

27

CONTINUING
WINTER-COLD
STORM HAZARDS

CalTrans

BLOCKING RIDGE
SMASHED
A Couple of More Lows
are headed our way over
the next few days...

MAPS

HIGH SIERRA
All Snow Info
SNOW STATUS & FORECASTS

 

Direct
Two Day
SNOW FORECAST

Seven Days

 

RENO
WINTER STORM WARNING

SACTO
WINTER STORM WARNING

HANFORD
WINTER STORM WARNING

 

Cherry Lake Forecast

Lee Vining Forecast

Lake Thomas Edison

 

Station Reports
TENTH

--Fall--
Temp Snow Checks

November 27
2019

11AM-11AM

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Nov 20

Next Report:
Nov 29

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Southwest Tahoe
Trail Map with Stations

PCT-TYT-TRT
Rubicon
12.0 +12.0
(1.80) +1.50
7618 feet
Trail Map
29 & 21 −/−

PCT-TYT-TRT
Echo Peak
18.0 +15
(1.90) +1.20
7652 feet
Stations Map
29 & 20 −/−

American-Yuba Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Carson Pass
12.0 +11
(1.60) +1.10
8388 feet
Trail Map
Stations Map
29 & 19 −/−

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

PCT-TYT
Ebbetts Pass
22.0
+19
(1.90) +1.40
8660 feet
Trail Map
28 & 17 −/−

West of PCT
Highlands Meadow
2.56
+1.28 ??
(0.--) -.--
8360 feet
Trail Map
25 & 15 /

EAST FLANK
Leavitt Lake
18.0 +18.0
(1.50) +1.20
9602 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
26 & 14 /

EAST FLANK
Marine Base
Cold Weather Training

6748 feet East Flank
Trail Map Above
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-
WIND
42 & 3 +/

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Sonora Pass

Kennedy Meadows
RESUPPLY
Deadman Creek

4.72 +4.32 ???
(--.--)
9250 feet,West Flank,
Trail Map
25 & 12 /

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

SW of TYT
Horse Meadow
0.4 =0.0 ???
8602 feet
Trail Map
25 & 15 /

Top of List

Tenaya Lake
19.75 +19.55
(0.01) =0.00 ??
8163 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
28 & 17 /

JMT-PCT-TYT
Tuolumne Meadows

19.11 +19.11
(0.07) +0.07 ??
8600 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
31 & 15 /

Tioga Pass/Dana
14.12 +14.02
(0.0) =
9798 feet
Trail Map
26 & 10/

Mammoth Mountain

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

East of PCT-JMT
Above Gem Lake
Gem Pass
(error)
10750 feet
Trail Map
temps bad

JMT-PCT Junction
Devils Postpile
22.45 +22.45
(0.61) =0.00 ??
8004 feet
Trail Map Above
26 & 19 /

NE of JMT-PCT
Mammoth Pass
10.07 +7.91 (earlier)
(0.48) = ??
9500 feet
Trail Map
26 & 13 /

Top of List

JMT-PCT
E of Bear Ridge

Volcanic Knob
7.70 +6.5 (earlier)
(0.00) = ??
10100 feet
Trail Map
28 & 12 /

East Flank
South Lake Cabin

no snow
(27.80) +.3
9580 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
34 & 6 /

East Flank
Big Pine Sawmill

20.10 +18.5
10200 feet, East Flank
Trail Map Above
32 & 12 /

Kings River

Just East JMT-PCT
Bishop Pass
(bad)
(0.0) =
11972 feet
Trail Map Above
24 & 8 / (earlier)

Just West JMT-PCT
Charlotte Lake
31.23 +27.19
10398 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
27 & 12 /
(Typically the coldest station)

Kern Watershed

JMT-PCT
Upr Tyndall Creek

20.02 +19.39
11441 feet
Trail Map
28 & 8 /

JMT
Crabtree Meadow

1.33 +1.33 ??
(28.20) +1.34
10,700 feet
Trail Map
30 & 11 −/−

? = questionable data

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

More Stations, by Watersheds

Top of List

 

 

 

2017
Snow & Temp Check

 

28

THANKSGIVING

CONTINUING
WINTER-COLD
STORM HAZARDS

Storm Tailing Off,
Light Snow
Between Lows

 

BEST
FORECASTS

HAZARDS

 

Precipitation
General

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts:
ALL
RAIN FORECASTS
&
MODELS

 

Direct to
Seven Day Precip
Animation

 

Precipitation
Geographic

All High Sierra
ZONE & POINT
FORECASTS

 

All High Sierra
ZONE
FORECASTS

 

Now

RADAR

 

Direct
to
GRAPHICAL INTERFACE

Forecast
Winds? Weather?

NorCal Graphics

Region, SW US

 

Forecast
Temperatures

Model
Five Day Mean
Low Temps

Click Green "Latest" Model,
observe using step button

All Temps

 

Let's look at the
Big Picture
Surface Map

The Pacific Ocean

US Weather Map

All Maps

 

 

 

 

29

BETWEEN
STORMS

Light Snow
Between Lows

COLD
Days

COLD
Nights

HAZARD WARNINGS

Saturday Sunday

UPCOMING
WINTER-COLD
STORM HAZARDS

Cherry Lake Forecast

Lee Vining Forecast

Lake Thomas Edison

RENO
WINTER STORM WARNING

SACTO
WINTER STORM WARNING

HANFORD
WINTER STORM WARNING

 

 

 

 

 

Station Reports
ELEVENTH

--Fall--
Temp Snow Checks

November 29
2019

1PM-1PM

Below: Watershed Snow Water Content Charts followed by individual reporting station's Snow Depth and 24 hour high-low temps.

Last Report:
Nov 27

Next Report:
Dec 2

Tahoe Basin
Watershed

Southwest Tahoe
Trail Map with Stations

PCT-TYT-TRT
Rubicon
16.0 +4.0
(2.30) +0.50
7618 feet
Trail Map
22 & 19 −/−

PCT-TYT-TRT
Echo Peak
24.0 +6
(3.10) +2.20
7652 feet
Stations Map
24 & 19 −/−

American-Yuba Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Carson Pass
14.0 +2
(2.00) +0.40
8388 feet
Trail Map
Stations Map
20 & 16 −/−

Carson-Walker
Watershed
s

PCT-TYT
Ebbetts Pass
25.0 +3
(3.70) +1.80
8660 feet
Trail Map
20 & 15 −/−

West of PCT
Highlands Meadow
6.59
+4.03 ??
(0.--) -.--
8360 feet
Trail Map
16 & 13 /

EAST FLANK
Leavitt Lake
21.0 +3.0
(2.80) +1.30
9602 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
15 & 11 /

EAST FLANK
Marine Base
Cold Weather Training

6748 feet East Flank
Trail Map Above
FULL REPORT
VIS-CHIL-WEA-MB-
WIND
26 & 1 /

Mokelumne-Stanislaus Watersheds

PCT-TYT
Sonora Pass

Kennedy Meadows
RESUPPLY
Deadman Creek

Error +-.-- ???
(--.--)
9250 feet,West Flank,
Trail Map
14 & 6 /

Tuolumne-Merced
Watersheds

SW of TYT
Horse Meadow
Error =0.0 ???
8602 feet
Trail Map
18 & 12 /

Top of List

Tenaya Lake
24.35 +4.6
(0.01) =0.00 ??
8163 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
23 & 14 /

JMT-PCT-TYT
Tuolumne Meadows

16.60 −2.51
(0.08) +0.01 ??
8600 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
23 & 6 /

Tioga Pass/Dana
00.00 +???
(0.21) +0.21
9798 feet
Trail Map
13 & 3 /

Mammoth Mountain

Mono Lake-Owens Basin

East of PCT-JMT
Above Gem Lake
Gem Pass
(error)
10750 feet
Trail Map
temps bad

JMT-PCT Junction
Devils Postpile
37.64 +15.19
(0.99) +0.38 ??
8004 feet
Trail Map Above
21 & 16 /

NE of JMT-PCT
Mammoth Pass
35.97 +25.9 (earlier)
(0.48) = ??
9500 feet
Trail Map
17 & 9 /

Top of List

JMT-PCT
E of Bear Ridge

Volcanic Knob
32.30 +24.6 (earlier)
(0.00) = ??
10100 feet
Trail Map
21 & 7 /

East Flank
South Lake Cabin

no snow sensor
(28.00) +.2
9580 feet, East Flank
Trail Map
17 & 3 /

East Flank
Big Pine Sawmill

20.10 +18.5
10200 feet, East Flank
Trail Map Above
14 & 5 /

Kings River

Just East JMT-PCT
Bishop Pass
(bad)
(0.0) =
11972 feet
Trail Map Above
-- & -- / (earlier)

Just West JMT-PCT
Charlotte Lake
33.84 +2.61
10398 feet, West Flank
Trail Map
17 & 6 /
(Typically the coldest station)

Kern Watershed

JMT-PCT
Upr Tyndall Creek

21.08 +1.06
11441 feet
Trail Map
14 & 2 /

JMT
Crabtree Meadow

0.08 −1.25 error ??
(28.84) +0.64
10,700 feet
Trail Map
17 &1 −/−

? = questionable data

All High Sierra
Reporting Stations

More Stations, by Watersheds

Top of List

 

2018
Snow & Temp Check

30

LONG-STRONG
STORM

Days of Snow Ahead

Tropical Transport
Mechanism
Approaches

Light Snow

Tracking TTM

All Precip Forecasts

What's Happening
Note from the 27th

Direct
Two Day
SNOW FORECAST

Seven Days

 

HIGH SIERRA
All Snow Info
SNOW STATUS & FORECASTS

 

COLD
Days

COLD
Nights

 

CalTrans

 

SNOW TRAVEL
WEEKEND?

-->NOTE<--
Nov 27

RENO
Winter Watch Posted
(FOR THE WEEKEND)

 

Mountain Safety
AVALANCHE DANGERS

Winter Backpacking
Considerations

 

Seven Day
Freezing Temperature Probability

 

 

 

 

LAST WEEK

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January       February     March       April       May       June

July     August     September       October       November       December

 

 

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

2018 Calendar

2019 Calendar

 

NOTES:
Highways 120 and 4 will close for the season with the first heavy snowfall.
November Road News
4, 108, & 120 closed on the 14th.

2019 Status

 

2018 Status

Weather Notes
November 2, 2018

The beginning of November has brought us One Storm since May, beeing the mini-downpours that happened on the second day of October. We are currently experiencing another Drought Fall, Otherwise known as, the, "New Normal."

 

 

Weather Notes
November 5, 2017

This first "cold" storm-front of the season that just passed through the Sierra over the last two days was a "dud," producing up to two inches of snow, rather than the forecast potential of two feet. There's a reason for that, and more was brought by this last front than snow alone. It's a harbinger of the season, our first looks at this Winter's pattern formation.

This first "cold" storm-front of the season that just passed through over the last two days was running from just NE of Hawaii, across the bottom, across the South end of a vast cold High coming Southeast out of the Bearing Straight & across Gulf Alaska. That High is now dropping South out of the Gulf Alaska, and it is currently bringing our next low down around its Eastern edge.

The next cold storm-front we are watching today is now bending Northwest from a Low sitting off the coast of Washington (to the East of the High), as this front is being pushed down and around the N Pac High, along with its attached Low, to the Southeast draging its seriously cold front along behind it.

"Behind" this next Low is another Low sitting above at the top of the N Pac High that's itself sliding South across Gulf Alaska.

That next Low, and the prospective Low behind it, are "loaded-up" to the North of the East Pac High, which is the configuration of the classic "West Coast Storm Gate." The "gate" depends on the location of the East Pacific High. At the proper location the East Pac High conducts Lows and their associated Fronts around its Northern perimeter, across the Aleutians around the top of its bulge, to "fire them up," then sweeps them down the Eastern edge of the High into the West Coast of the USA. That's the classic N Pac Storm Gate bringing Winter to the Sierra Nevada.

What we are seeing is the first formations of the classic Storm Gate as the chill of Fall deepens into Winter. Will this formation hold? Will the East Pac High slide North into the "void" created by a warmer Arctic, blocking the West Coast of the US, as was typical of our drought years? Was this drought position of the N Pac High "transitory," with the drought, or is this more Northern position of the East Pac High the new way Winter works in our "new," much warmer world's new weather pattern?

I'm thinking it's the latter, judging by the slow, decades-long Northern creep of the Winter-time positioning of the East Pac High. Nonetheless, the Forecasts show the beginnings of a classic "Storm Gate" formation over the next few days, bringing a couple of more Lows & their Associated Cold Fronts across the Sierra from the North. Classic.

The question is, "Will the Gate formation hold?" Will it predominate this Winter? That would be great news for the Sierra Forests, putting the dagger of final death into the heart of the drought.

This link below always shows the latest run of Animated, and the latest detailed N Pacific Weather Maps. If you view the animated map on Nov. 5 you will see the scenario I explained.

Animated Pacific Weather Maps

Pacific Weather Map

 

High Sierra Weather Page

All Maps

Tracking Sierra Nevada Weather
Fall to Winter, 2017

High Sierra Trail, Terrain, & Related News, Science & Events
November 2017

 

2016

We are emerging from the first wet October I can remember since the Fall of 2010.

Nov 3 2016
So far I would characterize this Fall as Wet & Warm characterized by persistent NEast Pacific low dragging tropical fronts to the NE. This shape of the atmosphere has almost excluded Southern California from the flows of precip out of the Southwest, while the South Sierra still received a good dusting of snow.

The pressure, wind and temp factors necessary to bring cold storms out of the Northwest across the Aleutians to the Sierra have not set up, leaving the door open for continued warm storm activity out of the Southwest.

I believe that these warm, wet storms in high altitude conditions are very dangerous, and a real pain in the ass for dedicated Winter Travelers. During snow travel water is best when it is deeply frozen and cannot melt upon body contact when either falling from the sky or through ground contact. These current conditions of warm on the ground snow and warm falling snow melting upon body contact both create the potential for very hazardous cold and wet conditions to quickly evolve.

Remember what always happens after we get drenched? It freezes! Traveling through warm snow does not require snow falling to get us wet. Everything we touch melts!

My best Winter trips have been the coldest. Deep Cold creates a unique stability.

Anticipate the worse, expect the best, and we will be prepped and ready for the rest.

 

2015
EL NINO HISTORY:

A series of front lines "tied" to Central Pacific low pressure zones have been "dragged" across the West Coast by the lows.

The North end of the front lines are tied to the Low, while the line of the front runs Southwest to be anchored in East-Central Pacific tropical activity. Vast amounts of tropical moisture are transported along the front line between the low to the Northeast and the High to the Southwest.

So far these front lines transporting tropical moisture have been squarely pointed at Seattle in the Northwest corner of the US.

 

 

 

HIGH SIERRA
Winter Backpacker
WEATHER RESOURCES

 

ALL SNOW
INFORMATION

 

Snowfall
on the
Ground

 

Rain-Snow
Probabilities

 

Rain-Snow
Forecasts

HAZARD ALERT

November 4, 2017

BACKPACKER ALERT
WINTER GEAR REQUIRED

Moderate/weak-strength storm bringing up to 2 feet of snow to the Sierra Crest over this upcoming weekend.

Winter Gear Required.

Let's
Gear-Up for Winter

On September 15 the temps and conditions shifted enough to require shifting our gear setup from Summer to Fall gear kits.

FALL GEAR CHANGE UPON US,
Sept 15, 2017.

Now we've hit the Winter Line, and we've got to deploy the necessary elements of our Winter Gear Kit. Not the whole thing, but some serious Winter gear needs to come out now.

Four-Season High Sierra Gear List

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

2018 Calendar

2019 Calendar

 

 

 

2016
(& 2017, Too)

HAZARD ALERT
Oct 29 to Present, 2016
Nov 10 to Present, 2017
High Temps bring cold rains on the verge of being snow flurries, while snow flurries melt upon hiker contact:
THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.
Excellent Gear Required.
We must be able to stay warm in freezing rains.

And warm after the rains end and the evening chill descends.

Even if the sky is clear we must anticipate the type of hazards that both clear skies or unexpected storm activity could bring.
Today those risks would be both unexpected very cold conditions and unexpected storm activity in "warm" conditions capable of bringing freezing rain.

GEAR ALERT
Oct 16 to Present, 2016
Excellent insulation layers required.

A gear kit designed for these potentially very harsh wet AND cold conditions is mandatory.

Not quite a full Winter setup is yet demanded, but one designed to deal with potentially very wet conditions accentuated by plunging cold temps.

Tricky!

 

 

Date Vs. Conditions on the Ground
The calendar says Winter Conditions, but what are the conditions on the ground?
Late season clarity can quickly shift to blizzard conditions.
Hope for the best, pack gear for the worse.

High Sierra Winter Weather

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

2018 Calendar

2019 Calendar

 

 

November

With or without snow on the Sierra, November brings very cold temps, and clear skies can turn dark and unleash heavy snow very quickly.

Summertime backpackers are tracking the trajectory of Winter conditions to guess-timate the date snows will clear from the high trails during Spring.

Wintertime backpackers are carefully tracking conditions to determine the best times to access the Winter Wonderland, if and when Winter comes across the 2017-18 divide.

2015 HISTORY

BACKPACKER ALERT

The threats are fire and tropical weather.

The enduring trend of shortening Winters and the subsequent significant diminishment of Rain and Snowpack during the last 25 years has evolved into a completely different weather pattern. The storms out of the Northwest, in fact the whole North Pacific Weather Pattern has been disrupted. I would say it has been shattered.

The various unhinged elements of our old pattern have not re-established a new pattern (they are still changing!), but two facts are crystal clear. First, our traditional pattern of Winter storms out of the Northwest has been shattered. It will likely re-occur every 3 to 7 years on a diminishing cycle. Winters dominated by storms out of the Northwest is done as the dominant feature driving Winter weather on the whole Northwest Coast of the US.

(I see two factors driving the Degradation of the North Pacific Winter Weather Pattern:

Factor
A> The significant warming of the Arctic Circle during Winter has diminished the polar region's ability to draw West Pacific storms up to the perimeter of its once powerful spinning vortex of brutal cold, to "power them up," and toss them across the West Coast of the US.

Factor B> The warmth of the North Pacific ocean surface and atmosphere during Winter in N Latitudes has deflected the path of the typical North Pacific Winter Jet Stream across the Northeast Pacific, leaving the West Coast of the US dry.
The combined effects of the warming Arctic Circle and North Pacific Jet Stream changes are also responsible for the great "slides" South of Cold Arctic air masses over the Mid-West and East Coast over the last few Winters, causing those "polar vortexes."

Typical Winter storm patterns are not being drawn up to the Arctic Circle, they are not being fired up by the spinning vortex of the North Polar Region during Winter, nor are the resulting super-charged storms riding the Jet Stream down to California. That's the pattern that's over, the old pattern that drove fertility in California and the High Sierra.)

Second, the temperatures and humidity have risen to levels un-natural for the North Latitudes. We appear to be moving towards a tropical "Wet and Dry"-season type of pattern at 38 N. We'll see. We've loosened the forces of chaos, now we will see what happens, and where they end up.

The establishment of new basic metrological conditions in the North Pacific and Arctic Ocean assures that this new weather pattern has just now begun to re-order the type and distribution of plant and animal life rapidly under its changed footprint, forcing all to adjust to the new reality. Here in California that will be through fire for the trees, and lack of water for the animals and humans.

New plants, animals, and trees more suited to the hotter, drier climate will replace those burned, until they too are supplanted.

For backpackers this means that the rising threats into this year's September are massive fires and unexpected tropical downpours.

 

Mountain Safety

?

 

 

Tahoe to Whitney

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2020
High Sierra
Backpacking Calendar

January         February         March         April         May         June

July         August         September         October         November         December

 

 

2014 Calendar          2015 Calendar

2016 Calendar          2017 Calendar

2018 Calendar

2019 Calendar

 

Trailhead
 
Contact
Alex Wierbinski

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Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

Your guide to backpacking the Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails

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