Dry and Mild into 2012

I hope everyone was able to enjoy the spectacular weather this Holiday season. As a long wave upper ridge builds into the wetsern US, it appears CO is in store for more mild temps and dry conditions through thsis coming weekend, and likely next week as well. Some mountain snow is possible later this week, mostly across the northern and central mountains west of the Divide Thursday and Friday, but only very light amounts.

Long range models keep the upper ridge across the western US into next week, so looks like more mild temps and dry conditions next week as well as the storm track remains well north of CO.

For Holiday travelers, heavy rain across the lower Mississippi Valley today that will move into the Southeast on tonight into Tuesday and then move up along the mid Atlantic coast and Northeast Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Some snow will be possible across the upper Ohio Valley and eastern Great lakes Tuesday into Wednesday morning as well. This rain could cause some flight delays at airports like ATL today and tonight, then at DCA/IAD, PHL and JFK/LGA/EWR, PIT and BUF on Tuesday. Some persistent rain will also affect the Pacific Northwest this week so some minor delays possible at SEA and PDX. Coastal areas of OR ands WA could see some minor flooding issues later this week as rain adds up. The rest of the US will have mostly tranquil weather the rest of this week.

On Conifer Mountain we are currently at 80 inches of snow for the season, which is 142% of normal. We had 45 inches in December alone which is nearly triple the average for December. The mountains of CO are now slightly below average, so more snow is definitely needed in the mountains.
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"Climatology is what you expect, Weather is what you get".

"It is better to be roughly right than precisely wrong".

Update Tuesday Dec 27

Mild and mostly dry forecast still on track. Models indicate two distinct weak upper level troughs will pass to the north of CO this week. Impact will be for some mountain snow and increased Chinook winds along the foothills in advance of these systems. First upper trough will move across CO on Thursday, the second on Saturday. So, for the foothills, west to northwest winds will increase late Wednesday night into Thursday with wind speeds in the 25-50 mph range with gusts to 60 mph. In exposed areas with snow on the ground, this may cause some blowing and drifting snow issues across roads, like CO 93 and sections of US 285. Snow will impact mostly northern mountains west of the Divide. Second system will also cause increased west to northwest winds in the foothills Friday night into Saturday, with speeds again in the 25-50 mph range. Same pattern for mountain snows, northern and north central mountains west of the Divide, but only a few inches at best with each system.

Long range models continue to keep dry and breezy northwest flow aloft pattern in place through next week.
_________________
"Climatology is what you expect, Weather is what you get".

"It is better to be roughly right than precisely wrong".