yippee! a little snow...

[mikel]

to start things off again this winter! I hate it when Hwy 108 is closed, but another good snow year would be very nice!

This is from the weather reports for Mammoth Lakes:

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT
TUESDAY ABOVE 8000 FEET...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ABOVE 8000 FEET REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL
11 AM PDT TUESDAY.

* TIMING: HIGH ELEVATION SNOW WILL INCREASE TONIGHT AS LOW
PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE CENTRAL SIERRA. PERIODS OF SNOW ARE
LIKELY TO CONTINUE IN THE HIGH SIERRA THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 6 TO 10 INCHES ABOVE 8000 FEET THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING.

* SNOW LEVELS: SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL TO 8000 FEET TONIGHT.

* IMPACTS: SNOW WILL IMPACT TRAVEL OVER TIOGA PASS...SONORA PASS
AND HIGHWAY 203 NEAR MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN.

* SNOW MAY AFFECT THE HIGHER PASSES ALONG HIGHWAY 395 TONIGHT
IN MONO COUNTY BUT ACCUMULATIONS ARE UNLIKELY TO OCCUR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO POSE AN INCONVENIENCE TO TRAVELERS. MOTORISTS
SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION.

[aaron]

http://www.tr.slaythegnar.com/mammoth_10_04_10_3.jpg
Mammoth today

Enjoy it while it lasts SoCal
http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/24212

[Dave Neal]

Oh yes, I can confirm that. Spent the morning stomping around the high country looking for blue grouse. They are dumb - but elusive birds when you actually WANT to find them...

Snow started sticking well by noon. Before that it was a fun mix of hail, grapple, snow, rain, wind, lightning, thunder, and cold. Supposed to drop 3-7 inches tonight and it rained hard last night.

Fall was shorter than summer around here!

[Dave Neal]

Aaron- I missed your link and the point of your post until just now. I'm no expert but with the decrease in Delta pumping (good thing) and the CO River water in jeopardy, it seems that the pressure will be on here in the eastern Sierra for more water to be sent down south.

I know that LADWP requested more groundwater pumping in the Owens Valley this summer. http://news.sierrawave.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3581:inyo-declines-to-fight-ladwp-pumping-rate-but-draws-a-line&catid=6&Itemid=200021

And since Mono Lake reached its water level quota early this summer, the DWP has been exporting (surplus) more water and for a longer period of time through the east portal on the Upper Owens... the Upper O has been running high for a long time this summer. And the Lower Owens is still over 500 cfs and its into October now. Rumors are that Crowley is going to get sucked a lot lower this season.

We did have a good water year this last winter, both in snowpack AND water content in the snow. It seems that LADWP is happy to take as much as it can get for now. It is worth a lot of $$ in power generating.

Mikel- and it snowed pretty well last night. Had a buddy out deer hunting the high country and said it dropped up to 12" in some areas. I saw some impressive photos!

[aaron]

Dave
Should be interesting to see what happens if the Colorado does end up low for the year. La Nina is setting up strong, so now we just have to wait and see how far south she'll consistently hit. If the moisture stays north it will be interesting to see how SoCal copes.