January 6, 2016

                      Skier killed in Val d'Isere avalanche, story below:   Val d'Isere Pisteurs Pic

    Another image of the above avalanche:   Scary traverse!!                          Val d'Isere Pisteurs Pic

    Early Tuesday morning, January 5, 2016. Still making snow in the valley!!

    A very short break in the cloud yesterday am.

    Ssl development in the morning above 1800 meters. 30-50 KPH from the SE yesterday at 2240 M.

    Warmer snow fell in the afternoon.

    Still snowing in the valley at 16:30 Hours.


Weather Observations for January 6, 2016: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -5, Winds were 30-45 KPH SE      --Horstman Hut Station
2180 meters    -4, Winds were 40-45 KPH SSE    --Whistler Peak
1860 meters    -3, Winds were 5-10  KPH S          --Rendevous
1835 meters    -2, Winds were 15-30 KPH SE       --Roundhouse
1650 meters    -1, 6 cm of new snow, 10 cm in 24 hrs, 172 cm Base, RH 93%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters    -1, 7 cm of new snow, 11 cm in 24 hrs, 130 cm Base        --Catskinner 

  660 meters    -5, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -5.3. 1.5 mm of Precip recorded

   As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have broken cloud, variable visibility and it is snowing very lightly.


For the forecast, the possibility of some intermittent snow flurries will continue into the afternoon as the weak front is slowly replaced by the upper ridge in a Southerly flow aloft. The freezing level "may" rise to around 1000 meters this morning but if it does will be short lived and drop back to the surface by this evening. Lets hope it stays cold. Today will start off unsettled with some lingering clouds diminishing by the afternoon as the upper level ridge pushes into our zone.Thursday will be sunny as the ridge strengthens and parks on the Pacific Norhtwest until next week. At this time we can hope for a trough to push through by Monday.

    Unsettled this morning, clouds will clear out later this am.

    Lows move North for unsettled conditions this morning.

   Surface high about to become the dominant feature.

    High pressure will bring sunny skies to the area into the weekend.

    High pressure strengthens by Friday into Saturday.


ARTICLES:

Skier dies in Val d'Isere avalanche after heavy snow: France

2 dead, 2 seriously injured in separate avalanches in the Savoie Area: Pistehors.com

Small avalanche near St. Elmo triggers forecasters' reminder: Colorado

Snow Perils: Two dead this season, one still missing in Snoqualmie Pass area: SnoValleyStar

Area organisations come together to promote avalanche safety to SVSEF athletes: Idaho

    Tuesday morning.

    Big picture of the front spreading snow into the area yesterday afternoon.

    Very few people riding in the alpine yesterday.

   Snowing about 1 cm an hour at 13:00 Hours, Tuesday.

    Snowed 2 cm from 14:30 to 16:30. 1 cm per hour.

    Inverted temperatures in the afternoon. -6 in the valley and -3 at 1550 meters.