Weather Update — October 19, 2026
Transcript
My friends…
It’s always a beautiful day here in the Eastern Sierra. I’m Noé from eastsideweather.com, here for MammothFM in the Eastern Sierra, coming atcha with your local weather report…
Winter is finally arriving this week with our first proper storm. The cutoff low we’ve been watching is now favored to sit offshore long enough to pull in moisture from the south before moving inland on Wednesday. That’s good news for precipitation, but it also brings in mild subtropical air, which means snow levels will start out high.
Precipitation looks to begin Tuesday night, with the heaviest rates Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, and lingering showers into Thursday as colder air wraps in behind the low. Snow levels will be around 9,000 to 9,500 feet during the heaviest precipitation, dropping to around 7,000 to 7,500 feet by Thursday morning. Unfortunately, most of the moisture falls before the cold air arrives.
As of now, I’m expecting around 5 to 9 inches of heavy, wet snow along the Sierra Crest and the summit, 1 to 5 inches at Main Lodge, and 0 to 2 inches in the town of Mammoth Lakes, where it will be mostly rain. Not enough to get the ski season going, but a great start! This is still a few days out and subject to change.
Longer range, my friends, the pattern looks to shift in our favor. A trough is favored to set up over the Gulf of Alaska by early November, with the jet stream aimed more directly at California. This could be our El Niño response arriving strong and early. Time will tell!
And now for the weather forecast this week:
In Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding areas.
Monday will be mostly sunny with a high near 61 and an overnight low of 36. Gusty southwest winds up to 35mph.
Tuesday. Mostly sunny with a high near 57, with a chance of rain after 5pm. Overnight, a chance of rain turning to rain and snow, with a low around 35. Snow levels around 9,000 to 9,500 feet.
Wednesday will be mostly cloudy with an 80 percent chance of precipitation. Rain and snow in the morning, then showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon, and rain and snow overnight. A high near 51 and a low of 32. Snow levels will stay high, around 9,000 to 9,500 feet, so expect mostly rain at Main Lodge and below, with snow on the highest peaks.
Thursday, rain and snow is likely with a high near 46. Snow levels drop to around 7,000 to 7,500 feet Thursday morning, so we could see some wet snow at Main Lodge, while town stays marginal. Then clearing up into a sunny and cooler Friday and weekend.
And now, down to our friends in the Owens Valley.
Monday will be sunny with a high near 77 and an overnight low of 44. Southwest winds gusting up to 23mph.
Tuesday. Mostly sunny with a high near 74, and strong south winds gusting up to 50mph, with patchy blowing dust in the afternoon. A chance of showers and thunderstorms overnight with a low of 44.
Wednesday. Showers and thunderstorms, with a 90 percent chance of precipitation. Mostly cloudy with a high near 67 and an overnight low of 40.
Thursday, showers and thunderstorms are likely with a high near 62, then sunny and cooler for Friday and the weekend.
This has been Noé for MammothFM in the eastern sierra. Join me over on eastsideweather.com where you can get a detailed weather forecast for anywhere in the eastern sierra, and read my longer range weather outlooks.