Weather Blog
Daily outlooks and forecasts for the Eastern Sierra
Latest Outlook
Snow, It's Been Nice. Now, a Substantial Heatwave is Coming
After several days of high-level snow showers and thunderstorms, a major pattern change is coming. A substantial heatwave will begin to build in, with several days of only a superficial refreeze at higher elevations. After that, there are early indications that we may enter a convective showery pattern.
May 5, 2026
Snow, It's Been Nice. Now, a Substantial Heatwave is Coming
After several days of high-level snow showers and thunderstorms, a major pattern change is coming. A substantial heatwave will begin to build in, with several days of only a superficial refreeze at higher elevations. After that, there are early indications that we may enter a convective showery pattern.
May Day! Snow Showers to Start the Month, With a Warmer and Drier Long Term Outlook
May is starting off with several days of convectively energized showers and thunderstorms. Longer term, a drier and warmer outlook is currently favored for the West Coast.
Showers Next Week. And Then, A Spring Transition?
After an active April, May looks to start with showers confined mostly to the Sierra Nevada, followed by warmer and drier weather. Has spring finally sprung?
Merry Fishmas! The Prophecy Comes True! Plus, Is It Time To Drink The El Niño Kool-aid?
In classic fishmas fashion, unsettled weather will return to the Sierra Nevada this weekend, with temps remaining mostly near seasonal levels and occasional showers possible for the foreseeable future.
Auspicious April: Storm Tuesday, More Chances to Round Out the Month!
Our winter storm Tuesday has been trending stronger. A dynamic system will impact the state today through Wednesday before giving way to clear weather. By this weekend, storm chances are ramping up again, fueled by a very active southern jetstream. The West could remain unsettled for some time as a result
A Last April Hurrah?
A storm is forecast to impact California next week, bringing widespread rain to the state and snow to the Sierra Nevada. After that, models hint at an extended pattern of below average temperatures.
Awesome April! All Aboard the Train!
A passing trough to the north on Thursday will bring colder temps and very weak scattered showers, as well as increasing clouds. Weak high pressure will build in over the weekend before another storm window early next week. Awesome April can't save us from our Malevolent March, but perhaps it's a consolation prize?
Great Storm! Thank You Ullr! Cooler Temps This Week, Storm Chances Next Week
Mammoth picked up a total of 21 inches from the winter storm, bringing 3 day totals of 25 inches. Looking ahead, a cooler week is on tap as a trough passes to our north, and storm chances increase into next week.
Winter's Revenge! Showers through Saturday, Winter Storm Saturday Night
Showers will pick up this evening and lull Saturday before a stronger cold front moves in bringing lower snow levels and heavy snow.
A Proper Winter Storm!
We enter a showery pattern this evening, with showers picking up in the afternoon Friday into Saturday, followed by a proper winter storm!
Unsettled Weather Returns Later This Week... But How much?
After a week of warmer weather, an unsettled and cooler pattern looks likely. There are some indications it could linger for some time.
March 2026: An Analysis of The Worst Snowpack Loss in 50+ Years for the Eastern Sierra
A deep dive into the numbers behind March 2026's historic snowmelt across the Eastern and Southern Sierra. Across 39 SWE-reporting stations with up to 50 years of data, March 2026 ranks #1 for snowpack loss at 30 of them. In a month that historically builds snowpack, the Sierra lost an average of nearly 9 inches of SWE.
Warming up, possible undercutting systems later next week?
Amounts varied widely with yesterday's convectively-driven showers. We will now begin on a warming trend through the weekend. By the 9th of April, there are early indications that troughs may try to weakly undercut the Gulf of Alaska ridge, but confidence remains low.
Very windy with a side of snow
Yesterday's storm shifted northward at the last minute, resulting in a massively overperforming system farther north. The Mammoth area underperformed, with more showers this evening. Longer range, we dry out and warm up...
Showers trending up slightly...
Hi-res models are getting this storm into view, and are painting a very slightly wetter picture.
A weak pair of storms coming...
Warm weather gives way to unsettled weather. Uncertainty remains around snowfall amounts, but it looks like a weak storm with high snow levels.
A pattern change is coming. A big storm? Not so fast...
Above-average temps will remain through the weekend before a pattern change brings much cooler weather, with some showers to CA. There is still a large amount of uncertainty around this system.
A pattern change coming? But first, more heat!!
The next 5-6 days will remain much above-average temps, with a possible return to cooler and active weather Mar 31 – April 3rd.
More Heat this Week and a Possible Pattern Change...?
After a paltry cooldown this weekend, high pressure intensifies again bringing us several more days of intense heat. The signal for a small to moderate storm window at the beginning of April is looking stronger.
New Record in Bishop, Heat Reloading Next Week...
Today is the hottest day in the heatwave. The ridge will briefly relax before reforming overhead on Tuesday for another peak in the intensity. Above average heat will persist through next week.
Dog days... of winter?
Historic March heat is ramping up over the West, with significantly above average temps lasting into next week. With prolific snowpack loss, a snow-starved West will be hit hard as there is no return to active weather on the horizon.
Record breaking heatwave... Winter is Over.
A truly historic high pressure system will build in, shattering many all-time March temperature records, as well as some April records across the west.
Record breaking heatwave and a glimmer of hope?
A record breaking heat dome will build in, likely shattering many March all-time heat records. This will eat away at the anemic western snowpack and push any chances of more active weather to the end of the month.
Corn cycle and a waning snowpack!
Much warmer temps have allowed for a corn cycle the last two days. The foreseeable future will bring a heatwave, possibly of record breaking proportion.
Dry March!
No end in sight to the dry...