FORECAST 22-JAN-09

[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

THURSDAY, 22-JAN-09, 7:01

WE HAVE A FAIRLY COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN SETTING UP THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK. SO TO BEGIN, CURRENTLY AT 8 AM THIS MORNING, AN ELONGATED TROUGH HAS MOVED ONSHORE AND IS SPREADING ISOLATED PRECIPITATION OVER OUR AREA IN THE FORM OF LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS IN THE OWENS VALLEY AND ABOUT 3 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE UPPER ELEVATIONS AT MAMMOTH. WE SHOULD SEE A CONTINUATION OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION THROUGH THIS EVENING, THEN A SLIGHT BREAK IN THE ACTION AS ANOTHER TROUGH MOVES IN FRIDAY. THIS WILL KEEP OUR AREA UNDER UNSETTLED WEATHER THROUGH THE WEEKEND. BY SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY A COLDER UPPER LOW ROTATES OFF THE COAST AND MOVES INLAND GIVING US A GOOD CHANCE AT PRECIPITATION THROUGH ABOUT WEDNESDAY. RIGHT NOW, AN ESTIMATE OF SNOWFALL FROM SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY WOULD BE SOME 12 - 24 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN THE UPPER ELEVATIONS. UPDATES TO FOLLOW...

FOR THE OWENS VALLEY:

TODAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH A 40% OF SCATTERED RAIN. HIGHS NEAR 59. SOUTHEAST WIND 8 - 11 MPH.
TONIGHT: CLOUDY SKIES WITH A 40% CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS. LOWS AROUND 36. SOUTHEAST WIND 6 - 9 MPH.
FRIDAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30% CHANCE OF RAIN. HIGHS AROUND 57. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 - 7 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT: MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20% CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS. EVENING LOWS NEAR 33. SOUTHEAST WIND 7 MPH.

FOR MAMMOTH LAKES:

TODAY: MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH HIGHS AROUND 38. 80% CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. SOUTH WIND 5 - 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: CLOUDY SKIES WITH A 50% CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 9,000 FEET. LOWS AROUND 28. SOUTH WIND 5 MPH.
FRIDAY: CLOUDY WITH A 50% CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS NEAR 38. SOUTH WIND 5 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT: CLOUDY WITH A 40% CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. EVENING LOWS NEAR 26. SOUTH WIND 5 MPH.

FOR THE REST OF MONO COUNTY:

TODAY: CLOUDY WITH A 70% CHANCE OF RAIN/SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS 34 - 44. SOUTH WIND 10 - 15 MPH.
TONIGHT: CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY. SNOW LEVEL 8,500 FEET. LOWS 22 - 32. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 MPH.
FRIDAY: CLOUDY WITH A 50% CHANCE OF OCCASIONAL SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS 38 - 48. SOUTH WIND 10 MPH.
FRIDAY NIGHT: CLOUDY WITH A 40% CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW LEVEL 8,000 FEET. LOWS 20 - 30. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 MPH.

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 SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.