The Weather Prediction Center
College Park, MD
Storm Summary Message
Storm Summary Number 5 for Western and Central U.S. Major Winter
Storm System
NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD
700 AM PST Wed Dec 15 2021
...A deep low pressure system will continue to bring rain, snow,
and high winds to the Rocky Mountains and northern High Plains
this morning before moving into the Great Plains later today...
Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for portions of Utah and
Colorado.
Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for portions of the
Central Great Basin, Central/Northern Rockies, Northern Plains,
and the Upper Midwest.
High Wind Warnings are in effect for portions of the Southwest,
Central/Southern Rockies, Great Plains, Upper/Middle Mississippi
Valley, and the Upper Great Lakes.
Wind Advisories are in effect for portions of the Southwest,
Southern Plains, Middle Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley, and the
Great Lakes.
Red Flag Warnings are in effect for portions of the Southern and
Central Plains.
For a detailed graphical depiction of the latest watches, warnings
and advisories, please see www.weather.gov
At 600 AM PST...A broad, deep low pressure system was centered
near Casper, WY with a central pressure of 988 mb. An associated
cold front was observed trailing through the Central and Southern
Rockies while a warm front extended east into the Central High
Plains. To the north of the low a second cold front draped through
northern Wyoming and a pressure trough extended into the Southern
High Plains. Doppler radar indicated that moderate to heavy snow
was falling over the Northern High Plains and the Central/Southern
Rockies, while rain with isolated areas of heavy, convective
precipitation was falling over the Southern High Plains. Surface
observations also showed strong winds were blowing throughout the
Rocky Mountains, with gusts reaching 50 mph in some areas.
...Selected preliminary Storm Total Snowfall in inches from 800 AM
PST Sat Dec 11 through 600 AM PST Wed Dec 15...
...COLORADO...
GLENWOOD SPRINGS 0.6 S 3.5
PITKIN 1.1 SW 3.5
DURANGO 0.8 SSW 2.3
...IDAHO...
DONNELLY 5 SW 46.0
WARM LAKE 6 WSW 27.0
GLANDALE 9 ESE 26.0
MEADOWS 6 ENE 25.0
ATLANTA 10 SE 22.0
WEST YELLOWSTONE 6 WNW 18.0
HAILEY 2 NNW 17.0
ELK RIVER 15.0
FEATHERVILLE 9 W 15.0
GANNETT 10 NE 14.0
HORSESHOE BEND 11 SSE 13.0
PIONEERVILLE 9 ESE 12.0
BELLEVUE 1 WSW 11.0
ARCO 7.0
LAVA HOT SPRINGS 2.9 NNW 6.5
WOODLAND 1 E 6.5
INKOM 5.5 N 5.5
...MONTANA...
WEST YELLOWSTONE 6 WNW 18.0
DUPUYER 23 SW 12.0
NOXON 12 NE 12.0
REED POINT 5 SE 5.0
ANACONDA 7.4 NW 3.5
GREAT FALLS 6.2 S 2.9
...WYOMING...
ALPINE 5.9 S 5.0
PINEDALE 13.8 NW 5.0
...Selected preliminary Peak Wind gusts in miles per hour earlier
in the event...
...ARIZONA...
PINAL PEAK 74
HUALAPAI PEAK 3 S 69
GREER 8 WNW 68
WILLIAMS 5 WSW 68
TWEEDS POINT 64
MOUNTAIN SPRINGS GRADE 63
PAGE 2 N 63
SAINT JOHNS 1 NW 60
YUCCA 56
PHOENIX SKY HARBOR 51
...CALIFORNIA...
MAGIC MOUNTAIN TRUCK TRAIL 89
LAGUNA LAUNCH 88
RUNNING SPRINGS 2 NW 84
ACTON 8 NW 82
GRAPEVINE PEAK 82
SIERRA PELONA WEST 82
BIG PINES 1 E 81
FALCON RD 68
TV TOWERS RD 2 68
JOAQUIN RIDGE 65
LAS YEGUAS 62
DE LA CONCEPCION 60
CRANE FLAT 58
SAN LUIS OBISPO 2 ENE 58
VENTURA GOVT CENTER 58
CHOLAME 57
SADDLE PEAK 57
MILLER RANCH 55
CUYAMA VALLEY 52
...COLORADO...
ORTIZ 9 W 77
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS 4 ESE 77
DOUGLASS PASS 1 W 76
WOLF CREEK PASS 1 ESE 76
MEEKER 66
EMMA 3 SSW 64
...IDAHO...
POCATELLO REGIONAL AIRPORT 68
TWIN FALLS 6 S 67
GRANGEVILLE 2 N 60
WINCHESTER 5 NW 59
...MONTANA...
EAST GLACIER PARK 8 SE 92
BYNUM 14 W 86
WILSALL 17 NE 78
SUNBURST 75
DENTON 7 ENE 68
LIVINGSTON 2 WSW 68
ZORTMAN 10 ESE 65
GREAT FALLS 5 WSW 62
...NEVADA...
HOOVER DAM 82
TIMBER MOUNTAIN 81
ANGEL PEAK 73
DOUBLE H 71
KINGS RIVER VALLEY 11 ESE 71
WARM SPRINGS 71
BAKER 4.3 E 69
MERCURY 9.8 NW 63
ELKO 4 WSW 59
...NEW MEXICO...
FARMINGTON 2 W 66
NAVAJO DAM 12 N 63
LAS VEGAS 6 NE 62
ARROYO HONDO 5 S 61
RED HILL 1 N 59
...OREGON...
LINCOLN CITY 93
YAQUINA BAY BRIDGE 78
HEBO 5 ESE 75
YACHATS 2 SE 72
ASTORIA 1 W 68
ROCKHOUSE RAWS 61
GARIBALDI 2 WNW 59
SALEM AIRPORT 47
PORTLAND 45
...SOUTH DAKOTA...
SPEARFISH 3 SE 64
...UTAH...
OGDEN PEAK 89
SNOWBASIN 89
SIGNAL PEAK 82
REYNOLDS PEAK 80
LOGAN PEAK 76
ELGIN 41 NNE 74
SANDY 72
UPPER CEDAR MOUNTAIN 71
MOAB 16 NW 70
MONTICELLO 2 E 68
WINDY PEAK 64
I-15 AT HMILTONS FORT 61
TOOELE 2 58
TULE VALLEY 57
FREMONT ISLAND - MILLER HILL 52
COTTONWOOD MOUNTAIN 41
...WASHINGTON...
RICHLAND 22 NNW 78
WALLA WALLA AIRPORT 62
POMEROY 58
LOOMIS 5 S 49
SPOKANE SOUTH HILL 42
...WYOMING...
BORDEAUX 1 SSE 88
CASPER 2.1 SW 88
ARLINGTON 7 ESE 85
RED CANYON - SOUTH PASS 82
CLARK 80
CENTENNIAL 2 WNW 77
I25 - HAT SIX 77
MILLS 6 NW 66
CHEYENNE 1 NW 64
BIG HORN 17 WSW 60
GELNROCK 1 S 58
...Selected preliminary Storm Total Snowfall in inches where the
event has ended...
...CALIFORNIA...
PINECREST 2 E 60.0
SODA SPRINGS 1 ENE 54.8
BEAR VALLEY 2 N 54.0
HEAVENLY SKI BASE 50.0
PALISADES TAHOE SKI BASE 50.0
MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI 48.0
HOMEWOOD MOUNTAIN SKI 45.0
NORTHSTAR SKI BASE 1 SSW 44.0
KINGVALE 1 WSW 34.0
ASPENDELL 28.0
CASTLE PEAK 25.0
PONDEROSA 24.0
SUGAR BOWL 24.0
SIERRA SNOW LAB 23.5
CENTRAL SIERRA SNOW LAB 18.7
KIRKWOOD 18.0
MOUNT SHASTA 6 ENE 13.0
...NEVADA...
INCLINE VILLAGE 1 NNW 26.5
MT. ROSE SKI BASE 3 NE 15.0
GARDNERVILLE RANCH 3 WSW 14.5
BRISTLECONE SNOTEL 11.0
LEE CANYON SNOTEL 11.0
MT. CHARLESTON 1 ESE 10.0
...OREGON...
SUMMIT LAKE 33.0
TIMBERLINE LODGE 31.0
MOUNT HOOD MEADOWS 28.0
SANTIAM PASS 25.0
GOVERNMENT CAMP 18.0
HALFWAY 9 NNW 18.0
WHITE RIVER 18.0
CRATER LAKE 1 SW 16.0
JOSEPH 3 S 15.0
SADDLE MOUNTAIN 14.0
SALT CREEK FALLS 13.0
TOLLGATE 13.0
CRESCENT 1 W 10.0
SUMPTER 6 N 9.0
CLACKAMAS LAKE 8.0
HAYES HILL 6.0
...UTAH...
SANDY 2 NE 13.8
EAST MILLCREEK 0.7 NW 11.0
FRUIT HEIGHTS 1.3 N 9.7
SALT LAKE CITY 8.3 WSW 9.2
...WASHINGTON...
SWIFT CREEK 27.0
LONE PINE 26.0
JUNE LAKE 25.0
SPIRIT LAKE 21.0
SPENCER MEADOW 19.0
WINTON 3 NW 14.0
LUCERNE 9 W 10.5
MAZAMA 2 NW 8.3
EASTON 6 NNW 7.0
STEVENS PASS 6.0
...Selected preliminary Storm Total Rainfall in inches where the
event has ended...
...CALIFORNIA...
MOUNT TAMALPAIS 8.74
SCOTTS VALLEY 6.05
SCOTT CREEK 5.84
WOODACRE 5.84
BEN LOMOND 5.68
PARADISE 1.1 W 5.53
KENTFIELD 5.36
STRAWBERRY VALLEY 5.30
GASQUET 4.86
RED MOUND 4.56
DOWNIEVILLE 4.53
BASS LAKE MARINA 4.43
FLYNN PRAIRIE 4.37
DE SABLA 3.93
SPRING VALLEY 3.86
WHISKEYTOWN 1.6 S 3.80
AMERICAN HOUSE 7.6 SW 3.76
SIMS 3.51
ELMIRA 3.25
BLUE CANYON 3.18
ARNOLD 2.40
SAN FRANCISCO 2.37
SACRAMENTO 1.49
...OREGON...
SOUTH SLOUGH ESTUARY COOS BAY 2.81
PORT ORFORD 4.7 E 2.34
SELMA 2.28
MURPHY 1 SSE 1.54
BANDON 3 NE 1.42
GLENDALE 1.39
Over the course of the next 12 hours the low pressure system is
expected to deepen further as it moves into the Central Plains.
Lingering snowfall is forecast to continue over the Rockies and
Northern High Plains before shifting east into the Northern Plains
and Upper Midwest. The highest snowfall accumulations will occur
over high elevation mountain ranges in Colorado and Wyoming, while
more moderate totals are expected elsewhere. Ahead of the system,
an influx of warm, moist air into the Mississippi Valley from the
Gulf of Mexico will create favorable conditions to facilitate the
development severe weather, and possibly a few tornaodes, over the
Upper Midwest. The aforementioned deepening of the system will
also produce widespread wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph across the
Great Plains and Mississippi Valley, which may result in damage
and widespread power outages. These strong wind gusts mixed with
antecedent dry conditions across the Central and Southern Plains
will also lead to an extremely critical risk of fire weather
conditions today.
The next Storm Summary will be issued by the Weather Prediction
Center at 700 PM PST. Please refer to your local National Weather
Service office for additional information on this event.
Zavadoff
Last Updated: 1013 AM EST WED DEC 15 2021