While Winter Bombs Northeast, Southwest Still Wishes For First Snow

By Holliday Moore
Published: Thursday, January 4, 2018 - 10:30am
Updated: Friday, January 5, 2018 - 8:45pm

In northern Florida, many residents woke up to snow for the first time in their lives, while New Yorkers suffered single digit to subzero temperatures.

It's in stark contrast to much of the country west of the Rocky Mountains where ski resorts and snow towns are still waiting for winter to show its face.

At the resort town of Lake Tahoe, snow measurements are at a 40 year low, and on the San Francisco Peaks outside Flagstaff there is still no sign of snow.

Meteorologist Megan Taylor with the National Weather Service said a stubborn high pressure system that's held off measurable snow for the region is starting to weaken.

"Right now, it's looking like the best chance is up along the Utah border," she said.

If any real measurable snow does hit in Arizona she predicted it will fall north of Flagstaff. It's somewhat surreal for the ski town where normally about 100 inches of snow is expected each year.

Two weeks past mid-winter and the dry spell continues. If it lasts much longer, Taylor predicted it will break a record.

"The latest official first measurable snowfall is January 15th," Taylor said. "And that happened back in 2006."

If the National weather maps are true, the polar jet stream will push possible snow storms north of the Grand Canyon.

Science