Some solstice, eh?

WOW--how 'bout that photo of Mt. Rainier during the onset of this last awesome episode?
The Intermountain West pretty well got stuccoed in the past few days. Code Red in Spokane with over 2 feet on the ground. And even Vegas got paralyzed, albeit with only 3.6 inches of white stuff. Key SNOTELs in Arizona are showing 40+ inches. The headwaters of the Virgin above Utah's Zion is at 40 inches. Real good looking snowpack numbers for the Winter Solstice. We should enter the New Year with a snowpack at or above average. Why? Well, here are some Friday morning snippets from various NWS Offices--you be the judge:

(POCATELLO)A POTENT LOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INLAND FROM THE NORTHERN PACIFIC AND SPREAD MOISTURE OVER THE REGION BEGINNING SUNDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST AREA INTO MONDAY BEFORE THE SYSTEM WEAKENS AND MOVES INTO THE GREAT PLAINS.EXPECT SIGNIFICANT SNOW AMOUNTS WITH THIS SYSTEM ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.

(MISSOULA)SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...A MOIST PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN ROCKIES ON SUNDAY BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL TO THE AREA. WEDNESDAY THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY...A STRONGER PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL DROP DOWN FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA EARLY NEXT WEEK AND BEGIN TO IMPACT THE NORTHERN ROCKIES BY CHRISTMAS EVE. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING EVEN MORE PACIFIC MOISTURE TO THE AREA THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE ANOTHER ROUND OF WIDESPREAD SNOW THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY.

(ELKO)LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. OVERALL...THE EXTENDED REMAINS QUITE STORMY. THE PERIOD STARTS WITH A POTENT CLOSED LOW DUMB-BELLING SOUTHEASTWARD FROM THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. LOOKS LIKE A GOOD MOISTURE FEED AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM SO KEPT HIGH POPS AND SNOWFALL TOTALS. STILL LOOKS LIKE THIS COULD BE THE FIRST WARNING EVENT OF THE SEASON FOR NORTHEASTERN NEVADA SNOWFALL-WISE.

(Portland) ATTENTION THEN TURNS TO THE NEXT RATHER STRONG PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEM THAT WILL APPROACH SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND MOVE THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THIS COULD BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT STORM SINCE EARLY JANUARY 2004.

(Seattle)THIS WILL BE ANOTHER NIGHTMARE IN TRYING TO TARGET SNOW AMOUNTS. KITSAP/HOOD CANAL ESPECIALLY SHOULD GET HAMMERED...COULD SEE 1.5 FEET OF SNOW IN SPOTS...MAYBE MORE.

(Boise)...AGREE ON A BREAK THROUGH OF THE WESTERLIES ACROSS THE PACIFIC INTO THE INTERMOUNTAIN AREA WITH AMPLE OVER-RUNNING MOISTURE IN THE SATURDAY NIGHT TO SUNDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. IT APPEARS THAT THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION WOULD FALL SUNDAY WITH VALLEY AND MOUNTAIN AREAS PICKING UP CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF WET SNOW.

(Note--Photo above by Tim Thompson, obtained from KOMO News in Seattle. For personal use only.)