December 13, 2015

    Early Saturday morning before the storm moved in.

    Snowing very lightly, -5 with 25-50 KPH winds from the SE.

    Still snowing lightly at noon.

    Precipitation picked up by mid day.

    By 16:00 Hrs on Saturday it was snowing 3 cm per hour, -5 with winds 25-50 KPH from the ESE.

    It was dumping in the valley at midnight. I am going to have to go back to guesstimating school!!


Weather Observations for December 13, 2015: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters     -6 Winds were 35-55 KPH SSE        --Horstman Hut Station
2180 meters     -7, Winds were 40-60 KPH SSE       --Whistler Peak
1860 meters     -6, Winds were 15-30 KPH E            --Rendevous
1835 meters     -4, Winds were 20-45 KPH SE         --Roundhouse
1650 meters     -3, 37 cm of new, 42 cm in 24 Hrs, 185 cm Base, Relative Humidity 96%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters     -4, 43 cm of new, 146 cm Base         --Catskinner 

  660 meters      0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +0.1. 5.2 mm of precip by 24:00?

Maximum gust yesterday at 2240 meters was 144 KPH SE at 15:25 hours.

There were a few Sz 1 SSL (soft slab) avalanches noted yesterday in the WB area.

    As of 07:00 Hours this am we have overcast skies, variable visibility and it is snowing lightly.


For the Forecast, the front that so nicely deposited 42 cm onto the local mountains is moving East with a broad upper level trough following in its wake. We can expect very light snowfall during the day with the freezing level dropping to the valley floor later in the day in a Southwesterly Flow. There is a chance of some breaks this morning. Most of the week is looking fairly dry as the high pressure ridge makes a come back with the FL in the valley. Monday is looking like a sunny day after the clouds push out of the area on Monday morning. Unsettled weather with some light spotty flurries into Thursday. Wednesday is looking cold.   Guesstimates: 4-6 cm by Monday morning. Next weather machine arrives Friday.

    Looks to be a cloudy day with light snow.

    Low is moving East today.

    Some snow possible for Tuesday.

        Weak ridging is likely most of the week.

    Dry for Thursday, followed by a storm for Friday. Not sure if I agree with the GFS model?



ARTICLES:


Avalanche conditions in Sea to Sky country dicey this weekend: Brock Hunter

Storm batters BC Coast: Castnet

Some parts of BC Interior primed for Avalanches: Avalanche Canada

Soft Slab Avalanches: National Avalanche Centre

Where's Winter--Record setting warmth on tap for much of the US: Not in Whistler





Tyrolean Alps, 13 December 1916 (10,000 casualties) – Over a 24-hour period during World War 1 Italian and Austrian forces died in a series of avalanches caused by a mixture of heavy snowfall and man-made explosives. An entire barracks was destroyed, burying 250 officers. Up to 1918, mountainsides were bombed, resulting in an additional 40,000 deaths.

    Satellite image Saturday morning.

    Very light snowfall in the valley early Saturday morning.

   Snowing 2 cm per hour in the valley at 16:00 hrs.

    Great party last night at the conference centre.

    Dusty's was also rocking last night. The snow dance worked!!

   42 cm recorded in 24 hours at 1650 meters this am.