November 14, 2017

    Official word this am, Whistler will open on Friday.



WEATHER FORECAST:

A vigorous occluded front will push through today with moderate to heavy snowfall, in a Southwesterly flow aloft. The freezing level will drop and hover in the 1000 meter range with easing precipitation amounts into Wednesday.  FL could get as low as 800 meters? A weak upper trough will push through on Thursday with cooler temperatures and light snowfall to the valley, there may even be some breaks as the low dips South. Another weak frontal band on Friday with mostly cloudy skies and some flurries in a cool air mass. A very weak ridge may build for Saturday with unsettled weather before another front pushes through Sunday associated with a warmer air mass. There is much uncertainty in the models for Saturday into next week.  Will start posting on a regular basis once the mountain opens on Friday. Guesstimates: 40-60 cm by Wednesday morning, 15-30 cm by Thursday morning, 5-10 cm by Friday morning.

    Looking juicy for today.

    Should see some heavy snowfall in the alpine with strong winds on Tuesday.

    Low moves Southeast with another coming down the coast.

    Upper low sinks South and weakens.

    A weak dirty ridge will try to build Friday into Saturday.

    Possible ridging on Saturday but much uncertainty in the models.

Weather Observations for November 14, 2017 taken at 07:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -7, Winds were 50-90 KPH S    --Horstman Hut
1860 meters    -5, Winds were 25-50 KPH SE --Rendevous
1660 meters    -3, RH 100%--Pig Alley

  660 meters   +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +3.7, 20.8 mm of Precip recorded yest

   As of 07:30 Hrs Tuesday am, overcast with obscured skies and snowing lightly.

    PAST FEW DAYS:

    Great weather on Friday. High in the valley of +6.9 Deg C.

    Unsettled on Friday.

    Saturday morning November 11, 2017. As of 07:30 Hrs it was -3 Deg C.

    Satellite image from Saturday morning. Some breaks but cloudier and precip in the afternoon.

    Sunday morning November 12, 2017 -2 at 07:00 Hrs.

    Sunday morning.

    Monday morning November 13, 2017. Snowing and blowing, -2 Deg C

    Monday image.





    OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Friday Nov 10Th was a beauty day.

    Great turnout for Remembrance Day at the new Cenotaph location.

    Snowing in the alpine Saturday afternoon. Looks like we received about 25 cm by Sunday am.

    Freezing level dropped enough Sunday morning for a dusting in the valley. 0 Deg at 08:00 Hrs.

    Slush Sunday, High of +1.2 at 660 meters, 21.5 mm recorded.

    Monday saw some decent snowfall amounts in the alpine, Temps in the valley were 0 to +3.

    From November 11 to the 13 at 660 meters we received 47.1 mm.




    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

     No new avalanche activity to report, likely some naturals occurring in the storm cycle.

Latest MIN report: Sea to Sky


ARTICLES:

It's Avalanche season Now: Northwest Avalanche Centre

Emergency Beacons in the High Altitude Mountain Huts: Mont Blanc Massif

German Hiker rescued after being trapped in a crevasse for 5 days: Mountain Journey

North Cascades Highway closes for season due to snow: Washington State

Arctic Oscillation and Polar Vortex Analysis and Forecasts: AER

Greenland Block Pattern will affect the Jet Stream: Weather.com

Early snow doesn't mean big snow year-but weak La Nina might: Pique