The overall pattern remains active over the next five days. Out West, it's the Pineapple Express. The jet stream continues to slam into the West Coast with heavy plumes of moisture. That moisture then gets escorted into the Intermountain West. In the Northeast, it remains cold with two Clipper storms and potentially two coastal storm systems.
A weak El Nino continues in the equatorial South Pacific. The forecast consensus maintains a weak El Nino (borderline at times) through winter into early spring.
California Weather
Snow continues on Thursday and may linger into Friday. Moderate snow accumulation. Good skiing (albeit very windy) on Thursday and Friday at Tahoe south to Mammoth. The Pineapple Express delivers another storm system between Friday night and Sunday morning. Moderate to heavy snow accumulation around Tahoe with heavy accumulation at Mammoth. A powerful storm system is possible late Tuesday into Wednesday with heavy snow accumulation. Overall, 1-3 foot grand totals by Tuesday night with additional heavy accumulation on Wednesday.
Pacific Northwest Weather
The jet stream is tracking a little too far south for a direct hit. Light to moderate snow accumulation is possible on Thursday then turning drier. A storm system is possible by Wednesday.
Colorado, Utah Weather
Moderate to heavy snow accumulation in the Wasatch Front of Utah between Thursday afternoon and Friday. A foot of accumulation possible at Alta and Snowbird. Excellent skiing on Friday and Saturday. Another surge of snow hits on Friday into Saturday morning along with a front with another foot of accumulation at the ski areas. Snow is likely in Colorado's Central and Northern mountains between Thursday night and Saturday morning with moderate to heavy accumulation. 6-14 inches of accumulation. A more powerful storm system delivers heavy snow accumulation to all Colorado zones between Saturday afternoon and Sunday night. 1-3 foot grand totals in Colorado by Sunday night. Steamboat, Winter Park, Loveland, Aspen, Crested Butte, Vail, Breckenridge and Monarch are in the bullseye.