As the current atmospheric trough drifts eastward, warmer air will stream up from the south, "normalizing" conditions for mid October. Meanwhile, out west, another trough will dip through the Mountain States, bringing the first significant snowfall to higher elevations. Indeed, the San Juan Mountains, in southwest Colorado, may receive over two feet of snow.
While such early season snowstorms do not necessarily portend a heavy winter snowpack, they will help to suppress the ongoing wildfires. We can only hope that the western snow season is long and prolific.
No doubt, these deep gyrations of the jet stream are a secondary effect of our warming climate. Extreme cold and abundant snow will be just as common as excessive heat and torrential rain as the jet is energized. Dramatic swings in our weather and more powerful storm systems will surely become the norm.
