April 13, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    An avalanche on Red Mountain in Snoqualmie Pass has killed a ski tourer. Article below. Net Pic

    Locally, several Sz 1 ssl pockets in lee alpine and at treeline. Sc Na 10-20 cm 1F-4F, yesterday.


    YESTERDAY:

    Overcast and snowing very lightly early Wednesday morning, April 12, 2017.

    Conditions improved with the new snow.

    Wednesday Morning.

    Light snow and light winds yesterday morning.

    Snowing at 11:00 hrs, 10 cm recorded from 06:00hrs to 14:00 hrs at 1550 meters yesterday.

    Big Picture Wednesday Afternoon.

    Still some big snow pillows around.

    It did brighten up for a while at around 16:30 Hrs.

Weather Observations for April 13, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -4, Winds were 25-50 KPH SE  --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters      -4, Winds were 25-30 KPH SE  --Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -2, Winds were 10-25 KPH ESE--Rendevous
1835 meters      -2, Winds were 15-20 KPH SE  --Roundhouse
1650 meters      -1, 3 cm of new snow, 15 cm in 24 hrs, 358 cm Base, RH 96%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters      -1, 3 cm of new snow, 13 cm in 24 hrs, 264 cm Base, RH 98%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters     +3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +5.0, ? mm of Precip recorded yest

   As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have obscured skies, variable visibility and it is snowing 1 cm per hr.


FORECAST:

The persistent upper level trough continues to send frontal bands our way in a Southerly flow aloft.
Expect moderate precipitation amounts early this morning easing to light with the FL topping out at around 1500 meters. The FL should drop to 800 meters by tonight. Friday will see overcast conditions but a relatively dry day with some intermittent light precipitation, with a FL range from 1300 meters to 900 meters. Saturday at this time is looking unsettled as a weak ridge of high pressure begins to build in the area. Sunday will be the nicest day with the ridge building and some lingering cloud. The ridge will move out by Monday afternoon with increasing clouds as an upper trough settles in offshore.
Guesstimates: 10-15 cm by Friday morning, 2-4 cm by Saturday morning, trace-2 cm by Sunday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am.

    Overcast and moist for today.

    Flow for today, will be predominately Southerly.

    Low moves to the North with overcast conditions and light precip for Friday.

   Unsettled for Saturday with a mix of sun and cloud. Ridge has some influence later in the day.

   High pressure strengthens for Sunday.

    An upper trough will linger off shore next week for cool and showery weather.


    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

   Obscured visibility in Blackcomb Glacier yesterday afternoon. Good place to get vertigo.

    Blackcomb Glacier Creek.

   Ice fall above the Rescue Road on Blackcomb.

    Ice formation in Rendevous window.

    Cornices are still growing and are very fragile.                                                           Brent Phillips Pic



ARTICLES:

Backcountry skier dies in an avalanche on Red Mountain, Snoqualmie Pass: Washington State

Kye Petersen on Tantalus: Powder Canada

Red Mountain Pass to close Thursday for Howitzer testing: Colorado

Northwest Avalanche Accident Summaries: NAC

Snowpck changes signal potential danger: Pique