January 2, 2015

    First light Thursday morning.

    Early Thursday morning, January 1, 2014. Still icicles on the North side of the hut.

    Cool clouds in the afternoon.

 

    Clouds dissipated by 14:30 Hours.

    Sunset January 1, 2015 was officially at 16:20 Hours.


Weather observations for January 2, 2015, taken at 06:00 Hours this Am.

2240 meters        -6, Winds were 40-60 KPH from the S
2180 meters        -5, Winds were 60-75 KPH from the SSW
1860 meters        -4, Winds were 20-40KPH from the SSE
1835 meters        -2, Winds were 30-55 KPH from the SSW
1650 meters        -1, Trace of new new snow, Base 115 cm
1550 meters        -1, Trace of new new snow, Base 80 cm,  Relative Humidity 72%.

  660 meters        -3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest -0.7.

For the forecast, a very weak front will bring cloudy conditions to the area today with flurries in a Northwest flow. The front will gain some strength by tomorrow afternoon bringing light to moderate snowfall into Saturday evening with freezing levels around surface. More snow expected for Sunday with a slightly rising freezing level topping out at 1400 meters. A warmer front in a moist westerly flow will arrive for Monday and Tuesday. The freezing level during this time frame will rise from 1400 meters to possibly 2600 meters by Tuesday night. More on that as we get closer. Guesstimates: Trace to 1 cm for today, 4-6 cm by Sunday morning, 12-14 cm by Monday morning, 3-5 cm by Tuesday morning.

   A very weak front will bring cloud to the area today.

    Saturday's Picture.

    Sunday's moisture could bring 10-15 cm of snow with slowly rising freezing levels.

Videos Fridays:

Washington couple outruns avalanche captured on video: Mount Baker, Wash

All mountain snowboarder on Whistler/Blackcomb: Vimeo



Articles:

Mt Kelso, Stevens Gulch Accident Report: Avalanche.org

Blog: Drift into Failure...or, mathematics and a few thoughts on risk: UAC Blog

Sledders dig out a moose caught in an avalanche: Hatcher Pass, Alaska






Some Duffy area observations from Lee Lau:

More for you.  Heal up soon Wango

From valley E of Cayoosh Pass. Pronounced change with a marked temperature inversion. -19 at valley bottom (1200m). - 5 at 2020, 0 at 2200m at ridgeline. Clear skies. Winds light from N explaining why there was windslab above treeline on NW ascent slope and also on NE slopes. 

Probed snowdepth 90 cms at 1600m, 135cms at 2020, 145 at 2150 all on NW slopes. 

Hasty at 2200m at ridgeline on SW slope; HS 90cms. Top 25cms fist, 35cms 4F, 30cms decomposing facets. Easy shear on windtransported top 10cms. Nil result on the 35cms and 55cms layers. Ski quality on the SW slope was very high but the inversion is supposed to persist tomorrow which should degrade quality.

    Thin thick layer of cloud passed over the area around 11:30. Flat light in the glacier!!

    This image recorded at the same time.