March 22, 2014

    First light Friday morning, the clouds moved in quickly.

    Thickened up as the morning evolved.

    Cumulus also started developing in the morning.

    Size 1 Sc were easily triggered yesterday on steep terrain features.

    Even in the afternoon it began to break but still thick cloud to the South.

    Sunset March 21, 2014.



Weather Observations for March 22, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hrs this am.

2240 meters        -12, Winds were 20-30 KPH from the SSW
2180 meters        -10, Winds were 25-35 KPH from the S
1860 meters        -10, Winds were 10-20 KPH from the S
1835 meters          -9, Winds were 10-30 KPH from the SSW
1650 meters          -6, Trace of new snow, Base 253 cm
1550 meters          -6, Trace of new snow, Base 201 cm        
  660 meters          -3, Valley Temperature, Max temp yest +6.4


For the forecast, a weak frontal system has slid into our zone with cloudy skies and the possibility of flurries for this morning and early afternoon. There is a good chance of unsettled weather by the end of the day, as short lived upper ridge pushes in for Sunday. The ridge will degrade by Sunday night, unsettled weather with mostly cloudy skies can be expected as the first frontal wave influences the weather for Monday,  a cold front for Tuesday with a moist flow into Wednesday. Models are in disagreement as to what will happen later in the week but there is a chance of significant moisture from a Southerly flow during this time period.  Guesstimates trace to 2 Saturday, 4-6 cm by Tuesday morning, 18-24 cm by Wednesday morning, 10-15 cm by Thursday morning.

Presently in the Alpine there is overcast skies variable visibility and it is snowing lightly.

Some size 1 avalanches were recorded yesterday in the corridor, mostly surface sluffing and the occasional size 1 wet surface snow avalanche on SW aspects.

    Clouds in our zone around noon yesterday afternoon.

    Moisture sliding down from the North.

    Moisture on the way for Monday afternoon.

Avalanche kills skier in Nagano as snow breaks records in Hakkaido: Japan

NWAC report from Jim Hill near Stevens Pass: Washington State

Combining ski resorts in Utah to create a: Mega Resort

Avalanches weren't-and aren't-only a backcountry threat: Missoula, Montana

WSL looking for individuals to participate in a survey on avalanche rescue: Switzerland

    Still good snow to be found on the right aspect.

    Sluff management!

    Slashing the pow.

    Later in the day it became a much nicer sky.

    Recent size 1 from a cornice chunk falling onto slope.

    Cornices in some areas are now huge and fragile.