March 13, 2016

    Update on the avalanche that took six lives in Italy, story in article section.                    Net Pic

    Early Saturday morning, snowing and blowing. Significant snow accumulation this past week.

    It snowed 11 cm from 06:30-11:30 yesterday morning at 1550 meters.

    Difficult visibility on 7 TH heaven but once in the trees it was great.

    Lower Hugh's Heaven

    Break in the action from 11:00 hours to 12:30 Hours.

    Visibility improved.

    Great break mid day.

    Peak Chair did not open.

    More snow by 13:00 Hours.

    Snowing in the valley at 16:30 Hours.



Weather Observations for March 13, 2016: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters     -9, Winds were 35-55 KPH SE   --Horstman Hut Station
2180 meters     -9, Winds were 50-60 KPH SE   --Whistler Peak 
1860 meters     -7, Winds were 10-20 KPH SSE  --Rendevous
1835 meters     -6, Winds were 20-45 KPH ESE  --Roundhouse 
1650 meters     -5, 18 cm of new snow, 28 cm in 24 hrs, 375 cm Base, RH 94%    --Pig Alley
1550 meters     -5, 16 cm of new snow, 27 cm in 24 hrs, 298 cm Base, RH 96%    --Catskinner

  660 meters      0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +5.1. 20.3 mm of Precip recorded yest

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


Avalanche control yesterday produced Sz 1-2.5 Sa, Xe, Sc. One of the Skier accidentals was in Robertson's, Code A called and it was cleared with a dog. Several Na observed as well. Some areas there were some wind pressed slabs, others soft slabs. Sa in the trees.


For the forecast, a vigorous front is approaching our area this morning as a deep low in a strong Southwesterly flow moves over the Southern section of Vancouver Island. Expect light precipitation this morning ramping up to heavy snowfall this afternoon into this evening. The flow will switch to Westerly this evening with the FL hovering in the 900 meter range during the day. A broad upper level trough will follow the front on Monday with overcast skies and light precipitation with the FL hovering in the 1000 meter range, dropping to surface Monday night. Tuesday, look for similar conditions with light precipitation, during the day switching to unsettled conditions in the evening as the ridge begins to build. Unsettled conditions are likely for Wednesday morning with the ridge strengthening for Wednesday afternoon into Saturday. With the sun will come a progressively higher FL maxing out on Friday with a high of around 2000 meters. Guesstimates: 25-35 cm for Monday morning, 2-4 cm for Tuesday morning, 4-6 cm for Wednesday morning.

    Brunt of the moisture gets here this afternoon.

    Vigorous frontal band arrives this afternoon.

    Broad upper level trough for Monday.

    Trough continues into Tuesday with the ridge building in the evening.

    Ridge builds from Wednesday into next weekend.



ARTICLES:

Update on the avalanche on Monte Nevoso that killed 6 people: Italian Alps

North Shore Rescue pilots drone program: NorthShoreNews

Ski Resorts Avalanche Rescue dogs trained to save lives: Idaho

Altitude hinders rescue efforts after deadly avalanche: Italy

    Early Saturday morning,

    16:00 Hours Saturday, snowing to the valley.

     Mid morning Saturday. We had a break mid day for about 1 hour.

    Big picture later in the day, more precipitation on the way.

    Catskinner weather plot.

    Approaching 3 meters.

    Pig Alley weather plot.

    4 meter mark getting closer!!

    It was raining at the Nesters weather plot at 15:30 Hours.

    That is a lot of snow on the Chic Pea Restraunt.