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Posted by Ballpark Frank (69.178.8.75) on 12:29:44 02/10/17
Looking at the Mammoth web cams a bit ago, I noticed I was seeing wet pavement, with no snow on it. That's the first time I have seen the pavement in quite some time, which is notable for Mammoth. I went and checked numerous NWS websites in and around Yellowstone. There is a major warm-up under way. The current temperature at Mammoth is 38F, Old Faithful is 33F, and Lake is 31F. In Livingston, it is 43F! There are flood advisories posted by both the Billings and Riverton NWS offices for Greater Yellowstone. The forecasts for various locations in GYE show an extended warm period over the next week, with day time highs above freezing in many areas, particularly lower elevations.
At the same time, there is a major weather system dumping snow, particularly in the southern portion of GYE. The Tetons could get between 10 and 22 inches of snow today/tonight. The warm-up is expected to melt a bunch of that snow, and contribute to small stream flooding.
This appears to be a major change to the prevailing weather we have been seeing so far this winter.
Meanwhile, the west coast keeps getting moisture, which, for California, is a godsend. Unfortunately, the same system that is in GYE had the same impact on the Sierras a few days ago, when the snow line went up, and it started raining in many areas, washing away some of the snowpack. Having "The Blob" vacate its domineering presence off the Pacific Coast has certainly had a major influence on the weather this winter, even in Alaska, where we are finally seeing fairly normal winter weather after 3 years of drier and warmer than normal conditions.
Ballpark
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