Snowfall on the high mountaintops of Yellowstone National Park is not unusual for this time of year, according to the National Weather Service in Riverton, Wyoming. Due to the limited impact, officials do not expect to issue an advisory.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming — As summer entered its last month, some mountain ranges in the West, including within Yellowstone National Park, were likely to be the first in the lower 48 states to see snowfall. But if you are not a hiker or cannot clearly see the mountaintops, you may not see any trace of Old Man Winter for a while.
A significant low pressure trough in the northwest will cause intermittent drops of 10-20 degrees or more. Intermittents combined with moisture will cause snowfall in high areas.
According to the National Weather Service in Riverton, Wyoming, the chance of snowfall will be above 9,500 feet in the terrain, which means that only high areas such as the Teton Range and parts of the country are likely to see snowfall.
The best time of the season and snowfall is during the work week and early weekend, before the moisture begins to subside, according to the Fox Center.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service warn that forecast models tend to perform poorly in terms of snowfall amounts and near-term forecasts during the first lull in the season, as storm systems often lack energy.
Yellowstone National Park has a wide range of elevations, but most of the jurisdiction is below 8,000 feet. The Old Center is about 7,300 feet, and the Yellowstone Lake is about 7,800 feet, well below the rain-snow line, which is perfect for at least the upcoming storm system.
7 Things You Need to Know About Yellowstone National Park
National park variable statistics are often correlated with the timing of Yellowstone variable.
According to the NPS, the most visited month is July, while November and December are the least visited.
Further south, including the Sierra Nevada, the state is also expected to see snow, but only in the highest reaches of the state.
Snowfall is expected to reach around 8,000 feet in the Golden State, which may affect some mountain campers. Snowfall is not expected to be heavy in the Golden State overall and should be below warning levels.
The lower Sierra Nevada region usually does not see its first snowfall until October or early October.