Mammoth Mountain Weather Forecast & Discussion – 93546
“Daily zone-based weather updates for Mammoth Mountain, Main Lodge, Summit, Mammoth Lakes, Crowley, and Bishop – plus Snowman’s forecast insights and ECMWF model discussions.”
🎿 Snowman’s take August 8th, 2025 – 9 AM
Currently, we have a trough to our north that is exiting the western US and moving into the northern Great Plains, as strong high pressure is building behind it in the Eastern Pacific.
As temperatures rise under the high-pressure system, expect 3-5 degrees of warming through the weekend. Temperatures will peak on Sunday and Monday, then gradually decrease.
Resort levels (8900 feet and above) will be in the mid 70s during the afternoon hours, Mammoth Lakes into the low 80s, with Bishop near 100 during the mid-afternoons into Tuesday.
Expect our typical zephyr breeze each afternoon, though this weekend and into early next week. Winds will be 5-10 MPH with gusts of 20-30 mph each afternoon.
Looking at the longer range data days 6-10, look for a cool down with clear skies and continued dry conditions.
📍 3 Day – Quick Zone Forecast
🎿 Mammoth Main Lodge / Mammoth Lakes Basin (8,900′)
| Day | High / Low | Wind | WX Notes |
| Friday | High 74 / Low 52°F | SW 5-10 Gusts 20-30 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
| Saturday | High 75°F / Low 55°F | SW 5-10 Gusts 20-30 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
| Sunday | High 78°F / Low 56°F | SW 5-10 Gusts 20-30 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
Mammoth Lakes (8,000′)
| Day | High / Low | Wind | WX Notes |
| Friday | High 79°F / Low 50°F | SW winds 5-10 Gusts 25 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
| Saturday | High 80°F / Low 53°F | SW winds 5-10 Gusts 25 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
| Sunday | High 82°F / Low 54°F | SW winds 5-10 Gusts 25 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
Bishop (4,250′)
| Day | High / Low | Wind | WX Notes | |
| Friday | High 99°F / Low 58°F | S/SE winds 5-10 | ☀️ Mostly sunny | |
| Saturday | High 100°F / Low 61°F | SW winds 5-10 Gusts to 20 | ☀️ Mostly sunny | |
| Sunday | High 101°F / Low 62°F | S/SE winds 5-15 Gusts to 25 | ☀️ Mostly sunny |
🌀 Mammoth Mountain Weather Forecast – Pattern Overview (Aug 8th – Aug 15th)
- Low Presure to our north moving off to the East
- Strong Ridging in the Eastern Pacific raises heights over the Mammoth & Bishop area.
- Isolated T Storms Possible next Tuesday
- More Weak Troughing off the coast by Next Thursday/Friday
🌀 Pattern Discussion Week 1
Wednesday, Aug. 6th @ 1 PM – Higher heights continue moving into the area at this time. By the weekend, a strong eastern Pacific Ridge of High Pressure will nudge temperatures in the Eastern Sierra up a bit more.
🌀 Extended Outlook – Days 8-14
Today, the start of week 2 is showing up with cooling as the summer trough of low presure will cool the area off and pick up the afternoon winds once again.
So far this summer, the weather has been a significant change from what we have seen over the last 10-15 years or so, with all the extreme heat and insane wildfire smoke at times. Hopefully, this trend continues into the Fall and again next Summer.
Steve Taylor, the Mammoth Snowman… Ski Ya Later!
NOAA 6-10 Day & 8-14 Day Outlooks
❓ Top Mammoth Weather Questions (from the Snowman)
When does Mammoth usually get its first snowfall?
Light snow can fall in late September, but consistent snowfall usually begins in late October or early November. Opening Day typically lands between November 10 and Thanksgiving, depending on storm activity and snowmaking.
How does the ENSO pattern affect Mammoth’s late fall and winter weather?
ENSO (El Niño/La Niña) plays a big role in Sierra storm patterns. El Niño winters often bring warmer, wetter storms. La Niña typically favors colder, backloaded seasons with more snow from February through April. Neutral years are the wildcards with high variability.
What is 500mb height and why does it matter?
500mb height maps show atmospheric pressure around 18,000 feet — a critical layer for tracking storm tracks, ridging, and jet stream placement. Watching 500mb patterns helps forecast Mammoth’s incoming storms and long-range trends.
What are the PNA and PDO, and how do they affect Mammoth weather?
The PNA (Pacific-North American Pattern) influences western U.S. ridging and troughing. A negative PNA favors cold, stormy setups. The PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillation) affects sea surface temperatures in the North Pacific — a negative PDO often aligns with enhanced storm delivery into California during winter.
👉 Want more answers? Check out the full Mammoth Weather FAQ – 50 Expert Answers to learn more about storms, snow, winds, and long-range patterns from a trusted local source.
90-Day Outlook
90-Day Seasonal Outlook for August – October: Expect a better-than-average chance of temperatures being above average, with below-average precipitation expected.
The boreal Fall begins on Sep 1 with the equinox on Mon, Sep 22, 2025, @ 11:19 AM. The Fall Color season should start above the 9000 to 10,000-foot level around the third week in September.
The first dusting over the higher peaks and the crest typically occurs around September 21. Many Octobers see the first 4-6 inches of snow by mid-month on the upper reaches of Mammoth Mountain.
❄️ 2025–26 Winter Outlook
Central Sierra / Mammoth Mtn
🔭 Overview
The early signals for the upcoming winter are aligning in favor of an active and colder-leaning pattern across the Central Sierra. As of early August, we’re tracking a combination of:
ENSO-Neutral trending toward Weak La Niña
Negative QBO (easterly winds)
Strongly negative PDO
Solar Cycle 25 peaking (Solar Max)
This climate setup historically supports above-average snowfall more often than not (above 50%) , with colder storm systems, and an extended spring snowpack from Mammoth to the Bishop Creek zone. Aka skiing into June.
To read my Full Winter’s Outlook First Look, use this link.
Author Bio: Steve Taylor, The Mammoth Snowman. Over the last 40+ years, Steve has spent countless hours studying and learning about Mammoth Mountain Weather and Snow Conditions.
Dr. George, Don Marcelin, Howard Sheckter, and Ted Schlaepfer were his weather mentors at that time. Steve used to hang out with Howard in the Weather War room in the early ’90s, getting first-hand knowledge of Mammoth Weather from the (The Dweeb) himself.
Steve has spent countless hours reading, studying, and watching weather discussions from the NWS and multiple Private Weather Forecasters. He is a long-time member of WeatherBell, Weather West, and AccuWeather Pro. Disclaimer: Steve is a hobbyist forecaster with over 35 years of experience reporting recreational weather and travel reports for the Mammoth Lakes area.
Author Bio: Ted Schlaepfer is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist (CCM) with over 30 years of experience in the weather industry. A lifelong weather enthusiast, Ted’s passion for snow and rain led him to start skiing at the age of five and eventually become a meteorologist.
Since the 2008/09 winter season, Ted has been providing his popular Mammoth Mountain Powder Forecast Posts for Mammoth Snowman. His forecasts have helped countless skiers enjoy powder days at Mammoth Mountain.
Ted’s connection with Mammoth Mountain began in 1979 when he and his family first discovered the area. They have been regular visitors since the late 1980s and own property there.
You can catch Ted’s fresh Powder Forecast Posts every Tuesday and Friday around 5 PM from November through April.