FORECAST 01-MAY-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

FRIDAY, 01-MAY-09, MORNING REPORT

AN RATHER IMPRESSIVE EARLY MAY STORM IS HEADED OUR WAY. THIS THING HAS THE ADDED "JUICE" FROM THE TROPICS AND WILL IMPACT THE HIGH COUNTRY WITH ONE TO TWO FEET OF NEW SNOW FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING AT THE LEAST. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SIERRA, FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS, FROM 5 PM TODAY UNTIL 10 AM SATURDAY. HECK, EVEN THE OWNES VALLEY MIGHT SEE SOME MOISTURE FROM THIS SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY LATER THIS EVENING AND INTO SATURDAY MORNING. BY SUNDAY, LOW AMPLITUDE RIDGING BUILDS IN TO DRY THINGS OUT FOR THE OWENS VALLEY, WITH THE HIGH COUNTRY REMAINING A BIT UNSETTLED WITH SOME LINGERING SHOWER ACTIVITY NEAR THE CREST. THAT UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL PRESIST FOR THE HIGH COUNTRY, WITH HIGH SNOW LEVELS THROUGH TUESDAY. THE STORM TRACK WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION, GIVING US THE HINT OF SUMMER CONDITIONS BY LATE NEXT WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND.

FOR THE OWENS VALLEY:

TODAY: CLOUDY WITH A 30% CHANCE OF ISLOATED SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. WINDS S 15 - 18 MPH G 23.
THIS EVENING: OVERCAST WITH A 60% CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 40S. WINDS N 6 - 16 MPH G 21.
SATURDAY: CLOUDY WITH A 30% CHANCE OF SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S. WINDS NW 10 - 15 MPH.
SATURDAY EVENING: CLOUDY WITH A 20% CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 40S. WINDS NW 5 - 15 MPH.

FOR MAMMOTH LAKES:

TODAY: CLOUDY WITH RAIN LIKELY. SNOW LEVEL 9,000. HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 50S. WINDS SW 5 - 15 MPH.
THIS EVENING: PERIODS OF RAIN THEN SNOW. LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S. WINDS W 10 - 15 MPH.
SATURDAY: CLOUDY WITH A 50% CHANCE OF SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE LOWER 50S. WINDS W 15 MPH G 25.
SATURDAY EVENING: CLOUDY WITH A 20% CHANCE OF SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S. WINDS W 5 - 10 MPH.

FOR MONO COUNTY:

TODAY: RAIN AND SNOW LIKELY. SNOW LEVEL 9,000 FEET. HIGHS 57 - 67. WINDS W 10 MPH. RIDGE G 60.
THIS EVENING: CLOUDY WITH RAIN THEN SNOW. SNOW LEVEL 8,500 FEET. LOWS 32 - 42. WINDS W 10 - 15 MPH. RIDGE G 60.
SATURDAY: CLOUDY WITH RAIN AND SNOW TAPERING OFF. HIGHS 52 - 62. WINDS W 10 - 15 MPH G 30. RIDGE G 50.
SATURDAY EVENING: CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT OF ISOLATED SHOWERS. LOWS 29 - 39. WINDS SW 10 - 15 MPH. RIDGE G 55.

NOTE: DENNIS' FORECAST ORIGINATES FROM THE FORT INDEPENDENCE EPA METEOROLOGICAL AND PM-10 MONITORING STATION. BECAUSE WEATHER CONDITIONS VARY GREATLY FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION IN THE EASTERN SIERRA, THIS FORECAST MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCURATE FOR YOUR AREA.