A slow-moving trough will reach the West Coast later this week and over the weekend, signaling a transition to a cooler and wetter pattern across California and Oregon initially, with impacts eventually extending into the Rockies on Sunday and into early next week.

A ridge of high pressure will dominate the pattern across the East over the next 5 days, resulting in warm and dry conditions for the most part.

Wednesday (Apr 8) to Friday (Apr 10):

Shower activity will gradually pick up across California and Oregon each day as a trough approaches the West Coast. A warm airmass will still be in place at the onset of this pattern, resulting in high snow levels ranging from 9,000 to 10,000 feet with rain falling below these elevations.

Isolated afternoon showers will also develop across the Central Rockies late this week, but any precipitation will be light and spotty, and snow levels will be confined to the higher elevations.

Saturday (Apr 11) to Sunday (Apr 12):

As the trough makes landfall over California, colder and wetter conditions will develop across the Sierra and Southern Cascades, resulting in heavier precipitation and lower snow levels.

Over the course of the weekend, snow levels across California and Southern/Central Oregon will fall from about 7,000 feet to 4,000 feet (on average), and significant snowfall is expected from Tahoe to Mammoth.

Rain and snow showers will also ramp up across the Central Rockies over the weekend. Snow levels in Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming will start out high on Saturday (around 10,000 feet), before lowering to 7,000-8,000 feet on Sunday. The San Juans (CO) and Wasatch (UT) are favored for moderate to locally heavy snowfall.

Further north, rain and snow will also reach the Canadian Rockies and Northern U.S. Rockies. Snow levels will be on the higher side across the BC Interior (6,000-7,000 feet), but a bit lower in Alberta (5,000-6,000 feet).

The number of ski resorts still open is quickly dwindling across the West due to the unusually low snowpack and record warm March temperatures.

So the April snow might seem like a tease for skiing in areas that are already closed, but the moisture is certainly welcome as the West will need it this spring and summer from a water supply and fire danger perspective.

We now have precipitation forecast maps based on our PEAKS Model, which is another great tool to add to your kit.

Looking at our total precipitation forecast map through Sunday, we can see that at least some moisture (rain and snow) is on the way for nearly the entire West this weekend, with the Sierra Nevada Range in California and the San Juan Range in Colorado favored for the highest amounts.

Outlook for Mon (Apr 13) to Fri (Apr 17):

An active pattern is expected to continue across the West next week with a transition to below-average temperatures along with frequent chances for rain and snow showers. This is a pattern that was lacking for most of the winter, but again, we will gladly take the moisture!

Above-average temperatures are expected across the East, with a more significant warm-up expected compared to this week. However, a wetter pattern is also expected from the Upper Midwest into the Northeast with frequent rainfall possible.

Thanks so much for reading! Next update on Friday (April 10).

Alan Smith

OpenSnow: Your Daily Weather App

Ready to replace those "other" weather apps?

As the snow begins to melt and summer conditions quickly take over, remember that you can always use OpenSnow as your daily weather app during the non-winter months.

Features →

My Location 15-Day Forecast
Severe Weather Alerts
Global Storm Forecast
Super-Res Radar + StormNet
Current & Forecast Radar w/ Precip-Type
Recent Satellite Maps
Wildfire Smoke Forecast Maps
Active Fire & Perimeter Maps
3D & Offline Maps
And Much More!

Getting Started

1. Go to the OpenSnow app or OpenSnow.com
2. Tap the "My Location" tab for 15-day forecasts.
3. Tap the "Maps" tab for high-resolution maps.