The second significant Pacific storm of winter 2022/23 is currently impacting the San Jacinto mountains. This storm is expected to have two periods of precipitation, one each on 11th and 12th. Please check this page for periodic updates throughout the storm (the most recent is at the top).
UPDATE on Monday 12th at 0810
A short video giving a feel for current snow conditions at San Jacinto Peak is available here on YouTube.
No fresh snow fell overnight, with storm totals of about nine inches at San Jacinto Peak and 0.5 inch in Idyllwild unchanged. That said, it has just started gently snowing in both locations, so storm totals may increase slightly over the next couple of hours.
UPDATE on Sunday 11th at 1930
It has stopped snowing both in Idyllwild (current storm total 0.75 inch snow plus 1.14 inches of rain) and at San Jacinto Peak (9 inches snow).
Many thanks to Kyle Eubanks who I chatted with at the Peak this afternoon. He has just reported storm snow totals of 5-6 inches at Wellman Divide (9700 ft) and four inches in both Round and Long valleys from his descending hike.
UPDATE on Sunday 11th at 1645
In Idyllwild at 5550 ft, rainfall storm total today is 1.14 inches. It turned to occasional light snow showers at about 1430, with just 0.5 inch settled so far.
Moderate snow has continued for the past few hours at San Jacinto Peak, with a storm total so far of about 7.5 inches. The high winds forecast did not materialize, although gusts up to 35 mph have been enough to cause very heavy drifting.
Fresh snowfall in Long Valley is now at about four inches.
UPDATE on Sunday 11th at 1330
Precipitation has been steady at mid and upper elevations for the past few hours. Fresh snow at San Jacinto Peak now measures 3-4 inches, snow in Long Valley (8600 ft) at three inches, and rainfall in Idyllwild since 0700 this morning at 0.6 inch.
Dutch Flat, at about 5600 ft elevation between Idyllwild and Pine Cove, recorded 0.86 inch of rain by 1300.
UPDATE on Sunday 11th at 1050
Very light precipitation well before first light this morning included a dusting of snow above 6000 ft, <0.25 inch below 8000 ft and about 0.25 inch above that elevation, plus 0.03 inch of drizzle in Idyllwild.
On my hike up to San Jacinto Peak late this morning there was a little drizzle on most of Devil’s Slide Trail, then an on/off mix of drizzle, freezing rain,, and fine snow in the high country.
Currently there is about 1.5 inches of fresh snow at San Jacinto Peak, on top of the very patchy and icy 2-4 inches remaining from early November. However the fresh powder is very fine and drifting heavily in the strong SW wind, and I had 2-3 inches in places in the upper Peak Trail.
In Idyllwild (at 5550 ft) additional light rain this morning has added up to 0.1 inch. The rain has becoming heavier in the past hour or so. It remains well above freezing there, currently at 41°F.
Long Valley (8600 ft) has received about 1.0 inch fresh snow this morning.
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