29 Jan 2017

January 29, 2017


    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    When some of the old rules are broken.  Story below.                                           Nancy Zenger Pic
Size 1.5 skier triggered avalanche today by co-pilot. The skier triggered it after traversing above the skier on the uptrack - the crown was way above at the top of the slope and it was about 5-8cms of wind slab. Skier carried down to where she is pictured in front of me - she worked to stay on top of the snow and was unharmed. The snow was really variable today and changed quickly ever few meters. Be careful out there folks!

    Old wet avalanches near the valley bottom.

    Locally Na and Sr Sz 1-1.5 ssl , strong SSW winds yesterday.


YESTERDAY:


 Blackcomb from a distance.

   Surface Hoar Face.

    Nice snow in the backcountry.

    Later in the day, clouds from the approaching Cold Front.

    Saturday Morning.

    Free Riding & Syncro Skiing.


Weather Observations for January 28, 2017: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters   -3, Winds were 35-60 KPH S     --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters   -4, Winds were 40-60 KPH S     --Whistler Peak
1860 meters   -1, Winds were 35-55 KPH SE   --Rendevous
1835 meters    0, Winds were  15-45 KPH ESE--Roundhouse
1650 meters    0, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 208 cm Base, RH 65%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters  +1, trace of new snow, trace in 24 hrs, 141 cm Base, RH 48%  --Catskinner 
  660 meters   -1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +6.0, 0.0 mm of Precip recorded yest

  As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have overcast skies with unlimited visibility.



FORECAST:

A weakening cold front will bring overcast skies with light snow fall beginning this am for most of the day in a Southwesterly flow aloft. The FL could go as high as 1800 meters today then slowly move back to surface by tomorrow am with the passage of the cold front.  Monday is also looking overcast with left over moisture from the frontal band, in a Westerly flow aloft.  Drier and cold continental air will infiltrate the zone for Tuesday with an upper level trough moving through the zone in a Northerly flow aloft. Modified arctic air will bring another session of cold temperatures to the area this week.  Unfortunately the rex block looks like it will bring a dry cold weather pattern for Wednesday through Friday. As of now there will be no change until Friday night, when we hopefully return to a moist Southwest flow.. Guesstimates: 8-12 cm by Monday morning, trace-2 cm by Tuesday morning.


    GOES IR image from this am.

   Weakening cold front pushes through today with lingering moisture for Monday.


   Flow for today.


    Front will likely bring snow to the area this afternoon.



   Lingering cloud for Monday.


OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

                      Lucky!!                                                                     Bryn Mitchell Pic
Size 2.5/3 avalanche today while skiing the North couloir on Thar in the Coquihalla. We rappelled the upper exposed sections then skied down. Two skiers were caught. One was able to stop himself after 20-30 feet of sliding. The other pulled his airbag and slid all the way until the point where this picture was taken. Both skiers remained on the surface and are okay. The crown line was 2.5 feet deep and spanned the entire couloir. A surprise wind slab was to blame, sitting on the old wind effected layer from a week and a half ago. Before this point the snow showed no concerns. All three of us were very lucky to escape unharmed.



Had a great little day showing some friends the musical bumps. Ended up digging a little pit at 1930m on Oboes NWW face. Recorded 2 CTE5 SC releases down 65cm to a huge faceted layer. These low/moderate avalanche ratings can be deceiving. Was a little surprised with how easy this released. Be careful everyone.

     Skied Cayoosh area today.                                                                                             Bridget Mcclarty Image

Saw this avalanche on the uptrack on Armchair Glacier, just above TL, past the moraine. Likely slid within the last 24 hrs. Bridget



   Good size surface hoar, new snow will be burying it.

   Loose moist point releases from Friday.

    Evidence of natural wind slabs.

    Wind transport in the alpine most of the day Saturday, especially south of Whistler..



ARTICLES:

Interior South Coast Avalanche Conditions: Sam McKoy

All about avalanches as the death toll reaches 22: Kashmir

5 Soldiers rescued after Snow Tracks Cave in, Kupwara: Kashmir

Pakistan Shelling triggering avalanches in Kashmir: India

2 Iranian smugglers killed in an avalanche on the Iranian-Iraqi Border: Iraq News

An Avalanche has killed one in Buryatia: Russia

No comments:

Post a Comment