December 21, 2015

    First light Sunday, December 20, 2015.

    Some sucker holes passed through during the day.

    Some nice deep powder Sunday morning.

    Skiing near the rocks will give you better reference when the visibility is challenging.

    Last run of the day down Spanky's, it was still great cut up powder skiing.

    Never too young to hike up Spanky's Ladder.



Weather Observations for December 21, 2015: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters   -10, Winds were 20-40 KPH SSE      --Horstman Hut Station
2180 meters   -10, Winds were 35-45 KPH SE        --Whistler Peak
1860 meters     -9, Winds were 5-10 KPH NE          --Rendevous
1835 meters     -7, Winds were 15-30 KPH SE        --Roundhouse
1650 meters     -8, trace of new, 4 cm in 24 hours 198 cm Base, Relative Humidity 95%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters     -5, trace of new, 140 cm Base    --Catskinner 

  660 meters     -2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +1.1. 4.3 mm of precipitation recorded.

    As of 07:15 Hrs we have broken cloud, variable visibility and it is snowing lightly.


Numerous Sz 1 ssl with Xe and Sc during avalanche control yesterday, some isolated Sz 2.


For the forecast, a surface low in a westerly flow aloft will bring mostly cloudy skies to the area with very light snowfall. The freezing level will hover below the valley and unfortunately the air mass is drying out. Westerly flow continues into Tuesday with overcast skies and very light precipitation during the day, intensifying Tuesday night. The ridge begins to build on Wednesday with unsettled conditions by the afternoon. We could see some unsettled conditions for Christmas Day. Guesstimates: 1-2 cm by Tuesday morning, 5-8 cm by Wednesday morning, 20-25 cm by Thursday morning. The freezing level looks like it will be below the valley floor for the rest of the week with a slight rise by Wednesday afternoon.

    Bummer, drying out.

    Westerly flow with a dry air mass.

    Tuesday is looking ok with light snow during the day, picking up in the evening.

    Unsettled Wednesday into Thursday.

ARTICLES:

Update on the avalanche fatality in Montana: Sledder

Child injured in Svalbard Avalanche dies in Hospital: Norway

Backcountry skier missing near Snoqualmie: Washington State

Lake Tahoe backcountry skiing skyrocketing in Popularity:  California

    At times the visibility was challenging.

    Under Lower Fitzsimmons Chair

    No lift lines in the afternoon at Creekside.