Monday, October 03, 2011

Snow Forecast for Robie Park on Wednesday

October 3 2011

With less than 5 days left in the countdown, the first winter storm of the season in the Sierra Nevada range will add an element of intrigue to the 56th Tevis Cup, which is being held for the first time in October, after being postponed from its regular July date because of too much late snow on the trails.

This is the official weather forecast by the National Weather Service for the Robie Park area (the Zero Milepost for the Tevis Cup).

The current forecast (as of Monday morning) shows a winter storm watch about 7000 feet, and indicates a 100% chance of snow on Wednesday, stating: 

"HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL FALL TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY... WITH ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SIERRA. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL OVER THE SIERRA THIS WEEK SHOULD PREPARE FOR WINTER CONDITIONS NOW TO AVOID BEING CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THIS EARLY SEASON STORM.

* TIMING: HEAVIEST MOUNTAIN SNOW LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY MORNING...WITH SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUING INTO
WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* POSSIBLE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: UP TO 10 INCHES ABOVE 7000 FEET
ALONG THE SIERRA CREST...WITH A FEW INCHES POSSIBLE AT LAKE
LEVEL.

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.
RIDGE GUSTS UP TO 90 MPH.

SNOW LEVELS: 8500 FEET FALLING TO 6000 FEET BY WEDNESDAY
MORNING."

Chance of snowfall will taper off Wednesday into Thursday, with temperatures rising. The expected high Friday is 51*F and Saturday 59*F with mostly sunny skies.

This moisture from the snowfall should help to minimize the dust from the trail-bed from the hoof-beats of 206 horses.
 
The following link is for the approximate latitude & longitude and elevation of Robie Park, so that it is slightly different from Truckee or Squaw Valley.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.236507954871094&lon=-120.1849365234375&site=rev&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text

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