March 24, 2015

    Sunrise Monday March 23, 2015; 07:09 hours.

    Lower level cloud began to lift shortly after sunrise.

    Great light once the clouds dissipated.

    There was some blue early Monday morning.

    Around mid day on Monday.

    Around 18:00 hours on Monday.

    Just before last light on Monday evening.

Weather Observations for March 24, 2015; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters     -7, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the SSW
2180 meters     -5, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the SSW
1860 meters     -6, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the SE
1835 meters     -4, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the SE
1650 meters     -3, 4 cm of new snow, Base 188 cm
1550 meters     -2, 3 cm of  new snow, Base 132 cm,  Relative Humidity 98%. 

  660 meters    +2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +8.9, 1.8 mm recorded on Monday

    As of 07:00 Hours we have overcast skies, unlimited visibility and a valley cloud layer.

For the forecast, a very weak ridge has developed with unsettled weather (mostly cloudy) and the likelihood of some isolated showers to form in a Northwesterly flow aloft with freezing levels hovering around 1000- 1400 meters. The FL should drop to around 1000 meters this evening prior to the arrival of a warm front which will bring light precipitation to the area tonight through Thursday afternoon in a Southwesterly flow. The FL will range from 1000 meters to a high of 2500 meters as the warm front passes through on Thursday.  Another weak ridge will build Thursday evening bringing unsettled weather into the weekend. There is however a very short lived fast moving cold front expected sometime Friday night with moderate precipitation and a FL falling to 1500 meters. The models are not in very good agreement on the pattern for the weekend so more on that as we get closer.
Guesstimates: 3-5 cm by Wednesday morning above 1200 meters, 5-8 cm by Thursday morning above 2000 meters, 8-12 cm by Saturday morning above 1400 meters.

Still stories of avalanche activity in the area. Skier accidentals up to size 1.5. Read the local bulletin at the top of the page.

    Yesterdays satellite image.

    Big picture yesterday.

    Overall flow for today.

    NAM looks fairly dry but there should be lingering cloud.

    Warm front moves in this evening shifting to a Westerly flow than a Southwesterly flow.

    Nam has the precipitation moving into the area slower than the GFS.

    Wednesday with light precipitation.

    High from the South will build on Thursday night.



ARTICLES:

Update on McBride avalanche fatalities: RockyMountainGoat

Colorado Supreme Court rules on InBounds Avalanche Liabilities: SnowBrains

British Columbia develops climate change action plan: PowderCanada

The Human Factor--Black Diamond Avalanche Safety: WildSnow

Coast Mountain Backcountry Report: March 20, 2015

    Whistler Bowl Monday morning.

    Snow makers busy on Blackcomb again yesterday morning.