Cutoff Lows: The Rogue Weather Systems Behind Massive Dumps You pull back the curtains to an unexpected winter wonderland. Everything is buried. A heavy blanket of fresh powder covers rooftops, vehicles, and the slopes outside your window. There’s a certain mystery to snow days like these that sometimes defy the forecast and keep powder hounds guessing. Sometimes, the culprit behind these massive dumps comes courtesy of one of the […] Weather Clay Malott | November 21, 2024 0 Comments
Global vs. Mesoscale Weather Forecasting Models—How Do They Differ? Weather models the best tools we have for peering into the future of the atmosphere, but not all models are the same. When forecasters talk about global and mesoscale weather models, what exactly are they referring to? Global Models Global weather models are exactly what they sound like. They look at the big picture, covering the entire planet. These models […] Weather Clay Malott | November 20, 2024 0 Comments
Brain Post: Temperature Inversions—Nature’s Double-Edged Sword Nature’s Temperature Trick A cold, clear winter morning: the world seems frozen in place. The valley below lies blanketed in frost, with fog pooling in the low spots, almost as if nature pressed pause overnight. This scene isn’t just picturesque; it’s the result of a fascinating atmospheric phenomenon known as a temperature inversion. Typically, warm air sits closer to the […] Weather Clay Malott | November 14, 2024 0 Comments
The Secret Ingredient to a Perfect Powder Day: Snow Liquid Ratio Some powder days feel like magic—light, airy snow that you can ski through like it’s barely there. Other days, it’s like skiing through oatmeal: heavy, dense, a workout in every turn. There’s a reason for this, and it’s not just luck or a specific mountain range. It all comes down to the Snow Liquid Ratio, a metric that’s as important […] Weather Clay Malott | November 13, 2024 0 Comments
Brain Post: Atmospheric Rivers—Nature’s Moisture Conveyor Belt A powerful force flows invisibly over the Pacific—a conveyor belt of moisture that meteorologists call an atmospheric river (or AR for short). These moisture bands transport enormous quantities of water vapor, crucial for precipitation—and snowfall—along the West Coast. Atmospheric rivers funnel this moisture from the tropics, like a fire hose aimed at western North America. When they land, they often […] Weather Clay Malott | November 12, 2024 0 Comments
Brain Post: Why are Weather Models So Bad When it Comes to Snow? Have you ever thought about why forecasting snowfall is so difficult? Why can we seemingly ace temperature forecasts days in advance but can’t even nail down a snowfall forecast the night before a storm? The Butterfly Effect Snowfall is a puzzle in the forecasting world, with every piece tangled in complex atmospheric dynamics, chaotic patterns, and ever-shifting terrain influences. Predicting […] Weather Clay Malott | November 11, 2024 0 Comments
Brain Post: The Hidden Dangers of an Early Season Snowpack Have you ever wondered why avalanche forecasters get so worked up about early season snow? Those first few storms of the season might seem harmless enough, maybe just enough snow to cover the grass and get us dreaming about powder days ahead. But here’s the thing: these early season storms can set up the snowpack for instability that persists throughout […] Avalanche Clay Malott | November 7, 2024 1 Comment
The Science Behind Snow Crystal Formation As skiers, we spend countless hours chasing powder, but how much do we really know about those weird crystals that make our favorite sport possible? The science behind snow crystal formation isn’t just beautiful–it’s crucial for understanding everything from avalanche risk to why that last storm dropped such perfect powder. The Basics of Snow Crystal Formation Let’s start with the […] Weather Clay Malott | November 6, 2024 0 Comments
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