Drastic cooldown in store for California, West Coast
By
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Feb 13, 2022 2:44 PM EDT
|
Updated Feb 15, 2022 6:36 AM EDT
Following an extended bout of warm weather in the western United States, including record-breaking temperatures for some, a flip in the weather pattern will bring cold air and snow to the region this week.
Temperatures across much of California, Nevada and Arizona peaked over the weekend, soaring to 15-20 degrees above normal for mid-February. This warmth has been thanks to a northward bulge in the jet stream, which has created a dome of warm air over the region this past week, promoting dry weather.
"On Tuesday, the jet stream will gradually lunge southward and allow much colder air to flow back across the western United States," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Warmth held on into Monday evening from Southern California through Arizona and the Four Corners area. But a drastic change with colder air will be on the doorstep, moving in Tuesday.
The strong southward dip in the jet stream will drag much colder air southward and not only mark and end to the record warmth in California but result in temperatures that quickly trend to average or even a bit below average for a couple of days.
Following highs in the 70s in San Francisco through this weekend and a new record for the all-time meteorological winter high of 78 at midweek, temperatures may fail to reach the middle 60s on Tuesday.
It will be a similar story in Los Angeles, following a particularly warm kickoff on Super Bowl on Sunday, where the temperature was 81 degrees, temperatures on Tuesday are forecast to peak only in the lower 60s with nighttime lows in the mid-40s.
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Prolonged dry weather across the region over the last month has caused the snowpack to shrink in the mountains and water reservoir levels to plummet below normal for this time of year. Because of that, many may be wondering if the upcoming changes in the pattern will come with a meaningful chance of precipitation.
"The storm setup will be somewhat different than typical storms that arrive from the Pacific Ocean. Instead of having abundant moisture, the storm is forecast to track south-southeastward over the West Coast, causing moisture from the Pacific Ocean to be largely cut off from the storm," explained Sosnowski.
As a result, only a limited amount of rain showers are likely to develop.
"Even though rainfall is likely to be limited to sporadic showers along the California coast and over the interior valleys into Wednesday, any short-term ground dampening that can occur would be welcomed to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
Where rain showers manage to wet the pavement, road conditions can be extra slick for a brief time due to the mixture of oily residue and moisture. These conditions will require extra stopping distance at intersections and slower speeds when rounding curves or traveling on highway ramps.
The risk of thunderstorms is likely to be across California and Nevada on Tuesday and across parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico into Wednesday, and could be strong enough to bring small hail. Another round of gusty winds is also expected as the storm pushes through, helping to dry out wet areas quickly and may result in the return of elevated fire danger.
The pattern change will bring colder and more seasonable conditions to the mountains and passes as well next week. Cold air with spotty snow is forecast to spread southward along the western third of the nation into Wednesday.
Snowfall over the higher elevations of the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, mountains in northern Arizona and the Wasatch Range in Utah will generally be limited to a few inches in most cases.
Motorists venturing over the passes in the Sierra Nevada may have to figure in extra travel time due to slippery road conditions. A little snow is forecast to fall over Donner Pass along Interstate 80 on Tuesday. The last time that more than a dusting of snow coated the pass was on New Year’s Eve.
The pattern and the lack of moisture with the fast-moving storm will not be enough to bring much-needed heavy snow to the Sierra Nevada next week. But, with lower and more seasonable temperatures in the 20s and 30s forecast for the high country, at least the snowmelt will substantially slow and cease.
With the weather pattern not expected to change much for the remainder of the month, there could be more opportunities for rain and snow.
"There may be a similar storm that travels from the Northwest to the interior Southwest during the period from Feb. 21-23," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said, adding that moisture may again be limited, but the potential for temperature fluctuations, sporadic showers, some mountain snow and gusty winds could return with that storm.
While AccuWeather's long-range team of meteorologists is expecting some more storm activity prior to the end of winter and early spring, it could still fall short of what is needed during the wet season to carry the region through the summer and autumn.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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News / Weather News
Drastic cooldown in store for California, West Coast
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Feb 13, 2022 2:44 PM EDT | Updated Feb 15, 2022 6:36 AM EDT
Following an extended bout of warm weather in the western United States, including record-breaking temperatures for some, a flip in the weather pattern will bring cold air and snow to the region this week.
Temperatures across much of California, Nevada and Arizona peaked over the weekend, soaring to 15-20 degrees above normal for mid-February. This warmth has been thanks to a northward bulge in the jet stream, which has created a dome of warm air over the region this past week, promoting dry weather.
"On Tuesday, the jet stream will gradually lunge southward and allow much colder air to flow back across the western United States," explained AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Warmth held on into Monday evening from Southern California through Arizona and the Four Corners area. But a drastic change with colder air will be on the doorstep, moving in Tuesday.
The strong southward dip in the jet stream will drag much colder air southward and not only mark and end to the record warmth in California but result in temperatures that quickly trend to average or even a bit below average for a couple of days.
Following highs in the 70s in San Francisco through this weekend and a new record for the all-time meteorological winter high of 78 at midweek, temperatures may fail to reach the middle 60s on Tuesday.
It will be a similar story in Los Angeles, following a particularly warm kickoff on Super Bowl on Sunday, where the temperature was 81 degrees, temperatures on Tuesday are forecast to peak only in the lower 60s with nighttime lows in the mid-40s.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Prolonged dry weather across the region over the last month has caused the snowpack to shrink in the mountains and water reservoir levels to plummet below normal for this time of year. Because of that, many may be wondering if the upcoming changes in the pattern will come with a meaningful chance of precipitation.
"The storm setup will be somewhat different than typical storms that arrive from the Pacific Ocean. Instead of having abundant moisture, the storm is forecast to track south-southeastward over the West Coast, causing moisture from the Pacific Ocean to be largely cut off from the storm," explained Sosnowski.
As a result, only a limited amount of rain showers are likely to develop.
"Even though rainfall is likely to be limited to sporadic showers along the California coast and over the interior valleys into Wednesday, any short-term ground dampening that can occur would be welcomed to reduce the risk of wildfire ignition," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
Where rain showers manage to wet the pavement, road conditions can be extra slick for a brief time due to the mixture of oily residue and moisture. These conditions will require extra stopping distance at intersections and slower speeds when rounding curves or traveling on highway ramps.
The risk of thunderstorms is likely to be across California and Nevada on Tuesday and across parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico into Wednesday, and could be strong enough to bring small hail. Another round of gusty winds is also expected as the storm pushes through, helping to dry out wet areas quickly and may result in the return of elevated fire danger.
The pattern change will bring colder and more seasonable conditions to the mountains and passes as well next week. Cold air with spotty snow is forecast to spread southward along the western third of the nation into Wednesday.
Snowfall over the higher elevations of the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, mountains in northern Arizona and the Wasatch Range in Utah will generally be limited to a few inches in most cases.
Motorists venturing over the passes in the Sierra Nevada may have to figure in extra travel time due to slippery road conditions. A little snow is forecast to fall over Donner Pass along Interstate 80 on Tuesday. The last time that more than a dusting of snow coated the pass was on New Year’s Eve.
The pattern and the lack of moisture with the fast-moving storm will not be enough to bring much-needed heavy snow to the Sierra Nevada next week. But, with lower and more seasonable temperatures in the 20s and 30s forecast for the high country, at least the snowmelt will substantially slow and cease.
With the weather pattern not expected to change much for the remainder of the month, there could be more opportunities for rain and snow.
"There may be a similar storm that travels from the Northwest to the interior Southwest during the period from Feb. 21-23," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said, adding that moisture may again be limited, but the potential for temperature fluctuations, sporadic showers, some mountain snow and gusty winds could return with that storm.
While AccuWeather's long-range team of meteorologists is expecting some more storm activity prior to the end of winter and early spring, it could still fall short of what is needed during the wet season to carry the region through the summer and autumn.
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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.
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