Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Lake-effect snow at Mono Lake

Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Yesterday morning, the west half of Mono Lake was blanketed in fog, clouds, and snow. Yes, snow—lake-effect snow! In Lee Vining we measured three inches of new snow (and 1–2 inches new were reported in Mono City), adding to the three inches measured Wednesday morning, for a total of six inches on the ground!

Mono Lake Webcam shot from 8:29 am 12/5/2013 showing the new snow at the Scenic Area Visitor Center at the north end of Lee Vining. The dark area at the center of the photo is the riparian vegetation along Lee Vining Creek ending at Mono Lake.
Mono Lake Webcam shot from 8:29am on December 5 showing the new snow at the Scenic Area Visitor Center at the north end of Lee Vining. The dark area at the center of the photo is the riparian vegetation along Lee Vining Creek ending at Mono Lake.

According to Mammoth Lakes weather man Howard Sheckter, the Mono Basin was the only place in California that reported snow Wednesday night. Below are a few webcam shots from around Mono County documenting the phenomenon, as well as some graphs from our weather station in Lee Vining.

Lee Vining Webcam shot from 8:45 am 12/5/2013 showing three inches of new lake-effect snow.
Lee Vining Webcam shot from 8:45am on December 5 showing three inches of new lake-effect snow.
Mill Creek Webcam shot from 8:45 am 12/5/2013, looking south to Mono Lake from Mono City.
Mill Creek Webcam shot from 8:45am on December 5, looking south to Mono Lake from Mono City.
Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District "dustcam" looking west at 8:48 am on 12/5/2013. The snow from the previous day is visible in the foreground. The east half of Mono Lake is visible, as well as the islands and Black Point, but the west half and the Sierra are shrouded in clouds and fog.
Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District "dustcam" looking west at 8:48am on December 5. The snow from the previous day is visible in the foreground. The east half of Mono Lake is visible, as well as the islands and Black Point, but the west half and the Sierra are shrouded in clouds and fog.
Caltrans Conway Summit cam looking south at 8:40 am 12/5/2013.
Caltrans Conway Summit webcam looking south at 8:40am on 12/5/2013.
Caltrans Conway Summit Webcam looking west at 8:40 am 12/5/2013. Note the rime ice on the trees.
Caltrans Conway Summit webcam looking west at 8:40am on 12/5/2013. Note the rime ice on the trees.
Caltrans Conway Summit Webcam looking north into the foggy Bridgeport Valley at 8:41 am 12/5/2013. Note the clear blue sky outside of the valleys.
Caltrans Conway Summit webcam looking north into the foggy Bridgeport Valley at 8:41am on 12/5/2013. Note the clear blue sky outside of the valleys.
Caltrans Mammoth Lakes Webcam looking east to the foggy Long Valley at 8:44 am 12/5/2013. Note the clear blue sky outside the valley bottoms.
Caltrans Mammoth Lakes webcam looking east to the foggy Long Valley at 8:44am on 12/5/2013. Note the clear blue sky outside the valley bottoms.
Lee Vining temperature graph showing the previous 24 hours, with a previous day's high of 24.1 F and a morning low of 11.1 F. Winds were north-northwest at zero gusting to four mph around 9:30 am this morning--calm winds are common during lake effect snow events.
Lee Vining temperature graph showing the previous 24 hours, with a previous day's high of 24.1 F and a morning low of 11.1 F. Winds were north-northwest at zero gusting to four mph around 9:30 am this morning---calm winds are common during lake-effect snow events.
Lee Vining temperature graph showing the previous week, and the much colder temperatures since the storm on December 3rd.
Lee Vining temperature graph showing the previous week, and the much colder temperatures since the storm on December 3.

From Thursday morning’s National Weather Service Reno discussion:

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RENO NV
 823 AM PST THU DEC 5 2013

 .UPDATE...

 UPDATED THIS MORNING TO ADD LAKE EFFECT SNOW AROUND MONO LAKE FOR
 TODAY. COLD AIR OVER THE REGION IS PICKING UP THE MOISTURE OVER
 THE RELATIVELY WARM LAKE AND CREATING SNOW ALONG HIGHWAY 395
 AROUND LEE VINING. THEY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED AROUND ONE INCH OF
 SNOW THERE THIS MORNING AND COULD GET UP TO A COUPLE INCHES OR SO
 TOTAL. ALSO, WE`VE ADD IN AREAS OF FREEZING FOG TO MONO COUNTY AS
 WELL, ESPECIALLY AROUND CROWLEY LAKE.

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