April 11, 2017

     AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Update on the avalanche on Mt Harvey, above Lion's Bay. Check article section below. CSAR Pic

    Skier accidental cornice release resulting in Sz 2.5 avalanche in body bag Bowl Saturday at 14:30

    Looking at Disease Ridge where the cornice release occurred.

    Locally, a few Sz 1 ssl Sc Sa, more Sz 1 cornice debris from Xe.

     YESTERDAY:

    Overcast early Monday morning April 10, 2017.

    A few breaks early in the morning!!

    Frontal band moved in early.

    Snowing by mid morning.

    Monday morning.

    A different perspective.

    Challenging visibility at times.

    Some breaks mid-day. Flute!

    Flurries in the afternoon.

    Overcast at days end.


Weather Observations for April 11, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -9, Winds were 25-30 KPH SE  --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters      -9, Winds were 20-30 KPH SE  --Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -7, Winds were 15-25 KPH ESE--Rendevous
1835 meters      -6, Winds were 15-20 KPH SE  --Roundhouse
1650 meters      -5, 6 cm of new snow, 6 cm in 24 hrs, 360 cm Base, RH 87%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters      -5, 6 cm of new snow, 7 cm in 24 hrs, 265 cm Base, RH 93%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters       0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +7.5, 0.6 mm of Precip recorded yest

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


FORECAST:

Showers early this am with a weak upper ridge building later this am for unsettled weather later today in a Southwesterly flow aloft. Will take a while to clear the clouds away from the mountains and there is some low level cloud that may take some time to dissipate. The FL will likely spike at 1500 meters with mid day heating. We may get a chance to see the full moon tonight as the high strengthens slightly this evening. A low pressure system to our south will bring overcast skies and light precipitation to the area for Wednesday, the FL will hover in the 1000-1400 meter range. The low will continue to send cool and showery weather our way Thursday and Friday. Saturday at this time looks cloudy and wet with a  weak ridge building in the evening into Sunday. More April showers expected early next week.
Guesstimates: trace-4 cm by Wednesday morning, 8-12 cm by Thursday morning, 10-15 cm by Friday morning., 8-12 cm by Saturday morning.

    GOES IR image--Surface high to the SE will build later this am.

   Showers moving through early this am with a cool air mass..

   Some ridging expected for today.

   Overcast with light snow forecasted for Wednesday, possibly unsettled for Wednesday night.

    Moisture Thursday, with a low just too our South.

   Some moisture with overcast conditions on Friday..

    Cloud Friday into Saturday.




   INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

   Remember if you are messing on a cornice and it releases there may be people below you!!!

   Just another reminder, cornices are huge.

   Looking small compared to the size of the cornice!!

    As it warms up be aware of over hanging snow in the cliffs above.


ARTICLES:

Updated article on Mount Harvey tragedy: Vancouver Sun

Some extra information on Mt Harvey Incident: No Probe or Beacon

Yet another article on Mt Harvey Incident (Witness): Canadian Press

Tantalus Range Observations: Mountain Conditions Report

Spring Conditions Deceptive, Exercise Caution: Avalanche Canada

Snowboarder Rescued after avalanche in Granite Canyon: Grand Teton National Park

There are an average of fourteen avalanche-related deaths in Canada every year, and most occur in B.C. and western Alberta. Here are some of the deaths from avalanches and snowslides in Canada from the past 25 years.

April 2017: Five snowshoers from Vancover fall off a cornice on Mount Harvey above Lions Bay. All are buried in an avalanche.

Jan. 2016: Five men, all snowmobilers from Alberta, died after a major avalanche in McBride, a small B.C. town near Prince George

.

March 2010: Two people were killed and hundreds trapped when an avalanche hit a snowmobile drag race event in Revelstoke, B.C.

Dec. 2008: Eight snowmobilers from the small mining town of Sparwood, B.C. were killed in an avalanche in nearby Fernie. More than 2,000 people attended the public funeral.

Feb. 2003: Seven high-school skiers were killed in Revelstoke. It was the second major avalanche in the area in 12 days

.

Jan. 1999: In one of the deadliest avalanches in Canadian history, nine people died in an avalanche in Kangiqsualujjuaq, an Inuit village in Northern Quebec, on New Year's Day.

Nov. 1998: Michel Trudeau, brother of Justin Trudeau, was swept into the waters of Kokanee Lake after an avalanche in British Columbia's interior. His body was never recovered

.

Dec. 1996: Three European tourists heli-skiing on a glacier near Whistler were killed when an avalanche hit.

May 1996: Three skiers, all residents of Vancouver, died in an avalanche in Bella Coola, B.C.

March 1991: Nine heli-skiers were killed on the Purcell Mountains in Golden, B.C., in one of the best-known heli-skiing areas in the world.