A large low pressure currently centered at the intersection of California, Oregon, and the Pacific Ocean looks to make it to our patrol zone Saturday night. Saturday morning looks to start sunny with strong winds, but as the system comes in the skies will obviously get cloudy and the wind speed may drop somewhat in the afternoon.
Sunday looks colder, obviously cloudy, and only moderate winds (potentially even light and from the eastern half of the compass Sunday morning).
While much of the storm is spillover (which is not very productive for our patrol zone), there is a tiny bit of upslope possible, thus the possible easterly morning winds (which often can be very productive for our patrol zone, but this one isn’t big enough), and some of the storm may get a jet streak assist (which also often can be very productive for our patrol zone, but is very difficult to forecast). Temperatures also look to fall with this storm (which is good).
Here are the model solutions for snow on Saturday to Sunday:
6” – Canadian, Icon, and WRF Models
4” – American and European Models
3” – UK Met, NAM, and RDPS Models
The next system likely to hit our patrol zone is next weekend (January 3-4), which will come from the west southwest. As of now, the European Model is only calling for 2”, so as of now, it doesn’t look to promising. Regardless, it’s nice to have snow, even if not much, in the forecast.
Cheers, and Merry Christmas.
-Jordan (12/25/25 afternoon)
Geeky Notes:
References to the American Model are to the American (GFS) Model grid including Brainerd Lake with an average elevation of 9,439’. References to the Canadian Model are the Canadian (GDPS) Model grid including Brainerd Lake with an average elevation of 10,253’. References to the European Model are the European (ECMWF IFS) Model grid including Brainerd Lake. References to the WRF Model are the CAIC WRF Hi-Res Model point forecast for Eldora Ski Area with an elevation of 9,189’. References to the Icon and UKMet Models are to the point with my cursor at my best estimate of Eldora Ski Area. For big picture overviews, I tend to rely on the American Model, not because I think it is the most accurate, but because (i) it is free and (ii) I like its interface.
