Winter will eventually return, but for the next couple of days, December will seem like the new October.
That means we're going to be seeing the snow level rise to ridiculous heights. If I am reading the weather cameras and observations right, it must be sitting very near 8000–8500 feet this morning, but it is going to be going to max out near 10000 feet tonight. Temperatures at the top of Mount Baldy (11000 ft) may reach 36ºF. Fortunately, precipitation should be widely scattered during this period.
There will be some periods of precipitation tomorrow, increasing later in the day and evening with the approach and passage of the "cold front.". Most of the precipitation will accompany the cold front, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some rain falling at times to as high as 9500 feet tomorrow morning. Snow levels will drop to about 8000 feet with the frontal passage (maybe a bit lower late in the storm), and the snow will be of the high density variety. What can I say. December is the new October.
The good news is that colder storms are coming. December will be December again later this week.
The source region for much of this moisture is the tropical Pacific west and southwest of Hawaii, where ocean temps are around 80F. This was the case for both the recent CA rainfall event and the incoming moisture stream. Looks like a "Kona Low" was at least partly to blame, although it has now dissipated.
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