January 15, 2016

    Skier accidental (Sa) Oboe front side, noon yesterday.                                  Monty Clemens Photo

    Sz 1's on Miller Ridge yesterday, Some Sa (Skier accidental), some not.             Allister Collis Pic

    First light Thursday, January 14, 2016.

    Multiple cloud layers.

    At times there was some great light.

    False Face with some fracture lines from Wednesday.

    Top of Whistler Mountain.

    Ipsoot yesterday afternoon.

    Just before sunset yesterday.

    Below the cloud layer, with some outflow cloud in the valley.


Weather Observations for January 15, 2016: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters  -10, Winds were 15-20 KPH SSE  --Horstman Hut Station
2180 meters    -8, Winds were 15-20 KPH S       --Whistler Peak
1860 meters    -6, Winds were 15-20  KPH E      --Rendevous
1835 meters    -6, Winds were 5-15 KPH S         --Roundhouse
1650 meters    -8, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 178 cm Base, RH 96%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters    -7, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 137 cm Base        --Catskinner 

  660 meters    -5, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +3.7. 0 mm of Precip recorded

    As of 07:00 Hours t 1835 meters we have scattered cloud and unlimited visibility.

Na (natural activity), Sc (Ski cut), Sa (Skier accidental), Xe (explosives) have produced avalanches up to Size 2, mostly on SH (Surface Hoar)


For the forecast, a weak ridge of high pressure will bring sunny skies to the area this morning with the freezing level hovering around 800 meters, later today. A stratus layer is above the valley floor. Clouds will begin to move into the South Coast Mountains in the afternoon as a weak front pushes in Friday night into Saturday with light snowfall and the FL rising to around 1200 meters. A more vigorous front arrives Sunday with strong winds and moderate snowfall. The FL should remain around the 1000 meter mark. A parade of frontal bands may be in the cards for early next week, models are in agreement so lets see what happens. Guesstimates: 2-4 cm by Saturday morning, 8-12 cm by Sunday morning, 15-25 cm by Monday morning, 10-15 by Tuesday morning.

    Brief weak high pressure for this morning.

    Front moves onshore by Friday night into Saturday.

    Vigorous front on Sunday.

    Saturday into Sunday.




Video Friday:

Best avalanche video ever--Fx pelvis, 10 min burial: Argentina

Avalanche powder cloud engulfs the village of Bessans on January 11Th: France

Avalanche powder cloud engulfs Cervinia , on Jan 12Th: Italy

Avalanche in Tinges: January 13, 2016


ARTICLES:

French Teacher in Avalanche tragedy faces manslaughter probe: Yahoo News

The Physics of snow is helping scientists predict catastrophic avalanches: TheScienceExplorer

Avalanches are bad news unless you are a wolverine: BBC Documentry

How to avoid deadly risks of Alps Avalanches: The Local, France

    Lots of different cloud yesterday.

    Looking good for some snow over the weekend.

    Great snow conditions again yesterday.

    Multiple cloud layers.

    Some cloud was clinging to the mountains.

    Awesome light just before sunset.

    Thick layer above the valley floor.