November 17, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    A snowboarder has been killed in an avalanche in Switzerland, article below.                Net Pic

    Avalanche fracture line from the above incident.                                                               Net Pic

    Dumping in the valley Tuesday,  35.0 mm recorded at 660 meters. High of +2.9 and low of 0.

Conny Amelunxen

Reported Nov 15, 2017

Got a report of a sz 2.5/3 avalanche of the south face of Ipoo Mtn in the Bridge Valley. It happened this morning after day break. Start zone was unobserved but likely near ridge top at 2400m. It ran 1500 m, entrained in a gully and crossed roads at 1200 m.

In that area (Hurley Pass northward) the temperatures have been colder than down south. There is about 100 cm of recent snow at 2000 m (in the last 4 days) and a total of about 250 cm of snow on the glaciers. The new snow sits on a 10-20 cm 4F facet layer (Remembrance Day layer) which in turn sits on a 20cm mfc.

Latest MIN Reports from Avalanche Canada:

November 12-Keith Hut

November 15-Paul Ridge

November 16-Round Mountain



    PAST FEW DAYS:

    Tuesday morning November 14, 2017. Snowing hard, windy and -5 Deg C.

    Wednesday morning November 15, 2017. Light snow -4 Deg C.

    Thursday morning November 16, 2017. -4 Deg C. Unsettled some light snow later in the morning.

    Friday morning opening day, mostly cloudy with variable visibility.


Weather Observations for November 17, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters    -9, Winds were 20-25 KPH SSW --Whistler Peak
1835 meters    -7, Winds were 10-20 KPH SSW --Roundhouse
1660 meters    -6, 7 cm of new, Base179 cm       --Pig Alley

  660 meters     0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +2.9, 5.9 mm of Precip recorded yest

    FORECAST:

A weak cool low will shift this morning giving way to a flat upper ridge with unsettled conditions for today. A Northwesterly flow aloft will transition to Westerly later this afternoon. The freezing level will hover in the 800 meter range. Mostly cloudy conditions with some breaks! May see some intermittent snow flurries. A strong pacific front will arrive for Saturday evening into Sunday. Guesstimates: 1-3 cm by Saturday morning, 20-25 cm by Sunday morning, 30-50 cm by Monday morning.

    Goes IR image from this am.

    Unsettled for today.

    Mostly cloudy Saturday with a strong frontal band arriving Saturday night.

    Should see moderate snowfall Saturday night.

     Moderate to heavy snowfall for Sunday. Mini atmospheric river?

    Looks like a warm system will push through Tuesday night into Wednesday.


    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Dumping Tuesday evening. 0 Deg and producing a good base layer.

    Big picture on Tuesday.

    Nester's Weather Station Wednesday morning.

    There were some breaks mid day on Wednesday before the snow started to fall later in the PM.

    Image from Wednesday.

    Observations below from Jeff Van Driel November 15.                                     Jeff Van Driel Image

Went for a ski on the Duffey Nov 15. -2 degrees, moderate SW ridge top winds, snowing 3-4cm/hr with obscured skies in the morning becoming broken late morning. Ski penetration was 50-60cm and trail breaking was slow and difficult, although once the trail was in it set up really well.  Snowpack depth was 60-80cm and early season hazards were rampant. Due to the difficult travel, our high point was 1700m. We had a couple settlements in hollow areas and observed some snowballing on solar aspects in alpine start zones.

                                                                                                                                                             Jeff Van Driel Image

    Breaks Thursday afternoon. Looking a lot like winter!!

    Big picture Thursday afternoon.



VIDEO FRIDAY:

Avalanche causes snowstorm: Pakistan

Tree Well and Snow Immersion Suffocation: Deep Snow Safety

Avalanche safety Video for Sledders: KBYG 



ARTICLES:

An avalanche has killed a snowboarder in Engelberg: Switzerland

Its deep out there--Tree well danger-"Under appreciated Risk": SIS

Search suspended for two missing snowboarders due to avalanche danger: Mt Baker

Mountain snows creating early avalanche hazard in B.C.: CBC News

Can human judgement handle avalanches: Kate Siber

Hurley Avalanche Update: November 16, 2017

Mount Rose, Nevada--- Avalanche Activity: Size 2