December 15, 2016

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Some Sz 1 slabs were still reactive yesterday.
 

    YESTERDAY:

    The Cold Full Moon, Wednesday December 14, 2016.

    Nice light in the early morning.

    Companion Rescue Training.

    Image from Wednesday Morning--Clouds close by.

    Edge of the cloud in the image from above.

    The Tusk before sunset.

    Just after sunset, which was at 16:10 Wednesday. Loosing 1 min per day in the am.

OBSERVATIONS:

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

2240 meters   -11, Winds were  5-10 KPH SE   --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters   -11, Winds were    0-5 KPH S      --Whistler Peak
1860 meters   -12, Winds were    0-5 KPH ESE --Rendevous
1835 meters   -12, Winds were  5-10 KPH NNE --Roundhouse
1650 meters   -13, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 160 cm Base, RH 73%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters   -13, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 112 cm Base, RH 74%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters   -17, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -9.6, 0.0 mm of Precip recorded yest

New record low for Whistler--Dec 14, 2016, -15.7--Old record was -13.3 in 1955.

Another inversion today.

    As of 06:00 Hrs this am we have clear skies and unlimited visibility.



FORECAST:

Dry and cool conditions will continue into Saturday in a moderate Westerly Flow aloft, shifting to Northerly by Friday.. Clouds will begin to move in Saturday afternoon with a weak front arriving Sunday. A stronger front will arrive Monday with a FL rising to around 800 meters. Enjoy the sunshine, keep warm!!

    GOES IR image this am.

    Westerly to Northerly flow.

    Tight Isobars for Friday.

    Ridge weakens on Saturday.

    Cloud by Saturday, snow by Sunday.



ARTICLES:

New Tool that Maps Potential Avalanche Terrain: Phys.org

22 Human Recorded Avalanches in 8 Days: Colorado

Coast Conditions Report-December 14, 2016: Mountain Sledder

As snow layers build, avalanche risks loom: Jackson Hole



OBSERVATIONS:

Richard Grenfell December 14 at 1:42pm

Touchy wind slabs out there today. Poop chutes high access (west facing) Small size 1 that propagated across the chute, ran 2/3 way down the chute. Some other wind slabs releasing in some pockets too..  Pow laps in the spearhead are great though!    First light Wednesday morning.     Crystal formation near a water source.    One of the Blackcomb Ravens.    Awesome skyline.