19 Apr 2017

April 19, 2017


   AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Avalanche control produced Sz 1-2 storm slabs Xe (explosives). Loose moist activity in the pm.

    Limited visibility but soft slabs Sz 1-2 Sc (ski cut), Sa (skier accidental), Na (natural) observed.


   YESTERDAY:

   There were some sucker holes early Tuesday April 18, 2017.

    Relatively dry at 08:30 Hours.

    Nice snow in the morning, early bird gets the turns!!



    Early Tuesday morning.


   A few occasional breaks yesterday, or just sucker holes!!

    Very soft snow at 1200 meters.

    Sundance                                                                                                              Doug Cavey Image

    No snow on the Golf Course.

    Spring conditions on the lower mountain.

    Sun almost came out in the pm.

    Looking like spring in the valley.

    Days end. Still winter in the alpine.


Weather Observations for April 19, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -6, Winds were 15-45 KPH SE  --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters      -5, Winds were 45-55 KPH SE  --Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -3, Winds were 10-30 KPH ESE--Rendevous
1835 meters      -3, Winds were 20-40 KPH SE  --Roundhouse
1650 meters      -2, 1 cm of new snow, 10 cm in 24 hrs, 368 cm Base, RH 88%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters      -2, trace of new snow,   7 cm in 24 hrs, 270 cm Base, RH 97%  --Catskinner 
  660 meters     +2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +7.9, 14.4 mm of Precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 hrs this a we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility.


FORECAST:

The persistent upper low off the coast will continue to send bands of precipitation at us in a Southwesterly flow aloft. Unsettled early this am but overcast skies will return sometime later in the morning. We can expect periods of snow in the alpine today with the FL hovering in the 1600 meter range, and moderate winds in the alpine as the frontal band arrives. The low will shift East on Thursday with a weak short lived ridge building Thursday night into Friday. Thursday will be unsettled with showers in the morning, improving as the day progresses. The ridge strengthens for Friday with a mix of sun and cloud. The temperatures should spike on Friday with the FL rising above the local peaks. A warm upper trough will move into the area on Saturday with intermittent showers, but mostly an overcast day. Cool showery unsettled weather is slated for early next week.
Guesstimates: 8-12 cm by Thursday morning, 1-5 cm by Friday morning, 0 cm by Saturday morning, 10-15 cm above 1800 meters for Sunday morning.


   GOES IR image from this am.


   Frontal band for Wednesday, slightly stronger than Tuesday's front.

   Overcast skies fr today.

    Unsettled for Thursday.

   High pressure builds Thursday night. Clear by Friday.

    Warmer temperatures for Friday, with a high pressure to our Southeast.

    Ridge strengthens for Friday.



    OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

   Clumpy snow early Tuesday morning.

    Snowing hard in the afternoon.

    Avalanche Awareness tours end at the end of this week.

   One of the few early season mushrooms left!!

    Avalanche closure for South Side above JC Chair.

    Alpine closed due to building avalanche hazard yesterday just after noon.

   Old Man's Beard was dripping away yesterday.

   New cornice growth on the Peak to Peak return station


ARTICLES:

Spring Forecasting--A Guide: Avalanche Canada

Jury to decide if Vail was at fault for Avalanche death: Colorado

Glacier Shape influences susceptibility to Thinning: Science Daily

North America's Biggest Vert & First Year round resort opens winter 2017-2018: Valemount

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