December 12, 2016

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    An avalanche at Mt Rose in California has claimed a Life, article below:                       Net Pic

    An avalanche near Cooke City has killed a skier, article below.                                           Net Pic


Several soft slabs and loose dry snow avalanches reported yesterday, Sz 1. Some Xe, Xc and Sc produced up to Sz 1 with avalanche control work in our area.



    YESTERDAY:

    Another awesome day--Sunday December 11, 2016--Tree Skiing has been nice.

    Knee deep snow, if you knew where to go!!

    Lots of folks dropping into Blackcomb Glacier.

    Obscured visibility at times in the Alpine.

    Sunday Morning.

    Becon checker on Blackcomb Glacier.


WEATHER:

Weather Observations for December 12, 2016,: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters   -14, Winds were 15-25 KPH NNE   --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters   -14, Winds were 15-25 KPH NNE   --Whistler Peak
1860 meters   -14, Winds were     0-5 KPH SSW?--Rendevous
1835 meters   -14, Winds were   5-10  KPH NE    --Roundhouse
1650 meters   -14, 10 cm of new snow, 14 cm in 24 hrs, 173 cm Base, RH 96%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters   -14,   9 cm of new snow, 16 cm in 24 hrs, 124 cm Base, RH 90%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters   -8, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -5.3, 4.3 mm of Precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have scattered cloud and unlimited visibility.


FORECAST:

The cold upper low off the BC coast will bring some cloud to the area as the cold surface high pushes back into our zone. It may not be as cold as originally forecasted with sunny skies by tomorrow into Wednesday. Weak outflow conditions will keep the wind chill down to a comfortable level. By Thursday we may see some cloud seep into the area from a low developing off Northern California. Some uncertainty in the models for timing but unsettled for Thursday and Friday. Guesstimates: no snow in the foreseeable future :(

    Unsettled as the high builds back into the area.

  

    Some cloud around in the morning.

    Drys out as the day progresses.

    Looks dry all week, some hope for next Friday or beyond if the low can displace the high.


ARTICLES:

A skier has been killed in an avalanche in Montana: Henderson Mountain

An avalanche on Mt Rose (Tahoe Area) has claimed a life: Avalanche Rescue Dogs used

BC Snowfall-Triggers severe avalanche warning for South Coast & Vancouver Island: NSSR

That would have been a Nasty Ride--YOU TUBE: RUSSIA

Bolivia's abandoned Ski Resort: A Sign of Droughts to come!!


OBSERVATIONS:

Timothy Lee December 11 at 5:42pm

Excellent fresh dry snow on Fat Dog / Cambie Creek trails. -4 surface temp and -2 degrees at base of snow pack. No significant differences in terms of layers. Total depth of 65 cm: 35 CM of light powder over 30 cm packed powder from previous. Area of test pit was not in significant slope. no wind loading and minor solar affect on south facing aspect. Just our group of 4 on skis and a few snowshoers.

    Some of the entrances into avalanche paths are challenging!!

    Sun was trying to come out occasionally.

    Valley Trees with some man made!!.

    Green Lake!!

    Snowing in the valley!!