October 31, 2016

    A busy place on top of Metal Dome, Sunday October 30, 2016. (Click for info on Metal Dome)


Weather in the past few days:

    Pinwheeling snow on Friday October 28, 2016. Recent wet loose size 1 slides Friday.

    Moist snow at 1900 meters.

    Friday afternoon.

    Satellite image from Friday.

    Saturday morning October 29, 2016. Unsettled and -1 Deg.

    View from the valley Saturday morning. 4.0 mm of precip recorded at 660 M on Saturday.

    Saturday's Image, it began to precipitate around 11:00 Hrs.

    On Saturday by 11:00 it was snowing lightly and 0 Deg at 1835 meters.

    Sunday morning October 30, 2016 -3 at 1835 meters with another dusting of fresh snow.

    Unsettled for Sunday.

    Sunday--Second call out on Metal Dome for Whitler SAR since Friday, October 28, 2016.

    Happy Halloween, may see some light wet snow flurries this evening in the valley.


Weather Observations for October 31, 2016: taken at 07:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -2, Winds were 30-40 KPH SE --Horstman Hut
1860 meters    -1, Winds were 10-15 KPH S    --Rendevous
1650 meters   +1, RH 97%  2.8 mm of precip   --Pig Alley  Precip from 0:00 Hrs this am

  660 meters   +4, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +6.7 trace of Precip recorded yest

   As of 07:30 Hrs this am we have overcast skies, variable visibility and it is snowing.



For the forecast, another moist day as a weak upper level trough moves through our zone in a Southwest Flow Aloft. The freezing level will fluctuate from 1800 to 1300 meters. As the weak front leaves the area we will see a short lived drying trend into Tuesday before another frontal band arrives Tuesday evening. A more vigorous front arrives for Wednesday evening and continues into Thursday. The FL will spike up to about 2100 meters through the flow and hopefully drop as low as 1800 meters bringing moderate to heavy snow into the alpine. The flow eases on Thursday with another impulse by Thursday night. Friday will also see moderate to heavy precipitation by the evening with the brunt of the frontal band. Saturday at this time is also looking juicy but more on that in Friday's post. Wednesday into Thursday are looking like the warmest period with a cooling trend into the weekend. We could easily accumulate another meter of snow in the alpine from Wednesday into Saturday.


Weather Update: November 1, 2016--Models have been adjusted and it looks like the system that was to arrive Thursday into Friday will stall offshore and we should see a weak ridge of high pressure develop for Friday.

   As of November 1, 2016 models are expecting Ridging for Friday.

    Models from Monday:

   A weakening surface low will track Northeast today.

    Showers and cool temperatures for today.

    Light intermittent showers for Tuesday with a brief drying trend.

    The first of 3 strong fronts Wednesday, the next will be on Friday night. Cold front for Wednesday.

    Warm SW flow Wednesday.

    Warm flow continues into Thursday.

    Active weather Friday into Saturday.



ARTICLES:

Mountains 101-A free on line course: University of Alberta

Transceivers 101 Video: BackcountrySkiingCanada

First Ride Whistler: Mountain Sledder

Stay off the Peaks until offical opening: CBC News



OBSERVATIONS:

    Thanks to Holly Walker, Julie Cossette, and Daniel Robb for the observations below:

Snow profile: Anniversary Glacier - Oct 28, 2016 by DR / JC / HW

Keith's Hut (1650m) has around ~60cm with rain crust. Above 1900m, snow transitions to 'normal' and skinning is easy. Snow profile was taken on 161028 at 16:25, 2135m, NE aspect, incline 22 degrees. Wind was light, Precip nil, Sky few clouds, Foot pen 35cm. Height of snow 162cm down to glacier ice.

Two melt freeze (thin crust) layers at 27cm and 45cm. Otherwise snow was Dry and mainly all Rounds; varying from Fist at top layer (0-7cm); 4 Finger (7-27cm), 1 Finger (28-45cm) and Pencil (46-162cm). CTE9 (RP) down on 13cm (new snow); CTM4 (SP) at 27cm (melt freeze crust); CTM10 (RP) at around 36cm (decomposing fragments); CTH10 (RP) at 53cm.

On Friday/Saturday, we saw no Avalanche activity cause by skiers on Anniversary, Matier and above Keith's Hut (lookers right). Lots of early season hazards still exist, including my weak ski legs. Play safe... More storms are a brewing!

    Tricouni Peak Friday afternoon.

    Looks like good coverage in Blackcomb Bowl. Cornice development along the ridge line!!

    Wedge Mt late Friday afternoon.

    Saturday morning, the snow line is creeping back up the mountain.

    Brandywine area has become the riding area of choice with its easy access.

    A different perspective of Blackcomb on Sunday.

    Snow line back into the trees on Sunday.

    Looking East from Metal Dome.