JACKSON, Wyo. — Following three weeks of nearly dry weather, a more winter-like pattern has returned to Jackson Hole this week despite what the calendar says. Snow fell across the Tetons over the weekend and we’ll see two more opportunities for additional snow over the upcoming week as well.

The pattern change arrived over the weekend following a warm finish to the week when the high temperature in Jackson hit 54 on Friday – the warmest of the year so far.

The weekend storm favored the west side of the Tetons far more than the east side with Grand Targhee receiving 17 inches of snow over three days, while Jackson Hole Mountain Resort only picked up 5 inches. Despite seeing less snowfall on the east side of the Tetons, the cool-off was very noticeable and the Town of Jackson even saw its first measurable snowfall of the month of March – 0.7 inches on Saturday night.

The next storm is getting underway on Monday and this will be the strongest storm of the week. New snowfall from Monday through Monday night will range from 6-12 inches in the Tetons. We are getting to the time of year when significant snowfall accumulations in the valley are harder to come by due to warmer temperatures on average along with a higher sun angle. As a result, most valley areas will see anywhere from a half-inch to 2 inches through Monday night.

A drying trend will ensue on Tuesday and Wednesday but temperatures will remain chilly by late March standards with valley highs in the mid to upper 30s. Skies will remain mostly cloudy with scattered flurries on Tuesday, then we’ll see clearing skies on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The next storm will arrive on Wednesday night and Thursday. This one looks weaker compared to Monday’s storm, but the Tetons should pick up an additional 3-6 inches of snow from Wednesday night through Thursday night with light accumulations in the valley on Thursday morning.

As we close out the week, cool and unsettled weather will persist on Friday with scattered clouds and lingering flurries possible. Conditions will then dry out over the weekend with warmer temperatures.

Looking farther out, we may see another quick shot of snow early next week around March 28-29, then long-range models are hinting at a trend toward spring-like weather with warmer temperatures heading into early April.

 

Alan is a professional meteorologist who holds a degree from MSU Denver and writes weather forecasts for Buckrail. He has lived in Jackson full-time since 2015. He is currently a Meteorologist and Operations Manager for OpenSnow, which is a weather forecasting service for skiing and outdoor adventures. At OpenSnow, Alan writes forecasts for the Tetons, Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and North America as a whole.