FORECAST 03-OCT-08

[dmatt]

FORECAST FOR THE OWENS VALLEY, MAMMOTH AND MONO COUNTY
PROVIDED BY DENNIS MATTINSON
EASTERN SIERRA WEATHER FORECASTER
KSRW 92.5 / 96.5 FM AND TV-33

FRIDAY, 03-OCT-08, 7:10 AM

A STRONG, FAST PACED, EARLY OCTOBER STORM IS STILL ON TRACK TO MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AND THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA LATER TONIGHT AND INTO SATURDAY. THE NWS HAS UPGRADED THIS SYSTEM FROM A WINTER STORM WATCH TO A WARNING. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN QUITE HIGH AT FIRST, SAY DOWN TO 10,000 FEET THEN A DUSTING CAN BE EXPECTED DOWN TO 8,500 FEET THROUGH MID DAY SATURDAY. ANY LINGERING SHOWERS WILL QUICKLY DISSIPATE SATURDAY NIGHT AS POST FRONTAL FLOW WILL BRING FREEZING TEMPS TO THE HIGH COUNTRY. I MIGHT ADD THAT THIS IS THE TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR HIKERS IN THE SIERRA. WINDS WILL ALSO BE AN ISSUE FOR BOTH THE HIGH COUNTRY AND THE VALLEYS AS I EXPECT THEM TO BE AT ADVISORY LEVELS LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE AND WARMING TEMPERATURES WILL ARRIVE SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

TODAY FOR THE OWENS VALLEY: PARTLY SUNNY BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. 30% CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR 79 FOLLOWED BY OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 40S. LIGHT WIND BECOMING SOUTHWEST 10 - 15 MPH GUSTING TO 20.

SATURDAY FOR THE OWENS VALLEY: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH RAIN SHOWERS LIKELY. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 60% DURING THE DAY THEN TAPERING OFF TO 20% IN THE EVENING. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR 69 AND OVERNIGHT LOWS AROUND 42. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 - 20 MPH GUSTING TO 30.

TODAY FOR THE TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES: PARTLY CLOUDY BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 100% AFTER MIDNIGHT. DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR 58 AND EVENING LOWS AROUND 39. SOUTHWEST WIND 15 - 20 MPH GUSTING TO 35.

SATURDAY FOR THE TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES: MOSTLY CLOUDY AND BREEZY. 100% CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW. SN0W LEVEL LOWERING TO 8,500 FEET. DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE AROUND 45 AND EVENING LOWS NEAR 28. SOUTHWEST WIND 25 - 30 MPH GUSTING TO 45.

TODAY FOR MONO COUNTY: MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND BREEZY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON THEN A 60% OF OF RAIN OR SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. HIGH DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM 58 - 68 AND EVENING LOWS 37 - 47. SOUTH WIND 20 - 30 MPH GUSTING TO 50 WITH RIDGE TOP GUSTS TO 85.

SATURDAY FOR MONO COUNTY: MOSTLY CLOUDY, WINDY WITH RAIN AND SNOW. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM 48 - 58 AND OVERNIGHT LOWS 24 - 34. SOUTHWEST WIND 20 - 30 MPH GUSTING TO 50 WITH RIDGE TOP GUSTS TO 85. WIND WILL DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT.

NOTE: DENNIS' FORECAST ORIGINATES FROM THE FORT INDEPENDENCE EPA METEOROLOGICAL STATION. BECAUSE WEATHER CONDITIONS VARY GREATLY FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION IN THE EASTERN SIERRA, THIS FORECAST IS FOR A SPECIFIC AREA AND TIME FRAME.