November 30, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Avalanche control produced Sz 1-2 storm slabs 15-30 cm.

    Some releases were initiated sympathetically. Cornices are fragile.

    Remotely triggered slab avalanche near Valemount, story in article section.                Net pic

    YESTERDAY:

    Stratus valley cloud moved up the valleys Wednesday morning.

    Valley cloud layer began to lift.

    Snowline just below 1000 Meters.

    Marine Stratus layer began to rise out of the valley by 10:30.

    Bus or Bike!! Relatively dry day yesterday, only 1.2 mm of precip recorded at 660 meters.


Weather Observations for November 30, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters    -6, Winds were 40-60 KPH SE --Whistler Peak
1835 meters    -4, Winds were 25-45 KPH SE --Roundhouse
1660 meters    -2, 7 cm of new, 9 cm in 24 hrs  Base 143 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters   +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +2.5, 1.2 mm of precip recorded

    As of 07:00 hrs we have overcast skies, variable visibility and it is snowing 1 cm per hour

FORECAST:

A broad upper trough in the Gulf of Alaska will send a series of weak frontal bands our way into the weekend. A weak front will push through today in a Southwesterly flow aloft transitioning to light Southerly by this afternoon. The Freezing level will fluctuate between 1000-1200 meters. A slightly cooler front will arrive tonight or early Friday morning with moderate snowfall and the FL dropping to to near surface by Friday night. Post frontal showers are expected Saturday, with unsettled weather before an upper ridge builds Sunday into Thursday of next week. Saturday through Monday will see the FL at surface with much cooler temperatures. Looks like good temperatures for snow making. Unfortunately the high will bring warmer temperatures up from the South beginning on Tuesday.
Guesstimates: 10-15 cm by Friday morning, 15-20 cm by Saturday morning, Trace -2 cm by Sunday morning. Feel that these #'s might be a little high with how the precipitation has been migrating South. Time will tell!!

    Looking like a majority of the precipitation will track South of here.

    Water vapor in the Pacific. Looks like it is going to be just South of us once again!!

    If the flow shifts Southerly we will get some snow.

    High is building around the Date Line. Its warm down there!!!

    Another impulse on Friday.

    Unsettled Saturday until High builds for Sunday.

    Looking warm and dry for next week by Tuesday into Wednesday.. That's a significant high.

    OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Alpine chutes are beginning to fill in.

    Blackcomb Bowl.

    Wednesday afternoon!

    Snow from the guns was also falling nicely. Nice turns on the man made.

    Groomers were awesome on Wednesday morning.

    Mountain Exhibit at Audain Art Museum worth seeing. Stone & Sky

From South Coast Touring:

Eric Carter November 29 at 7:38pm

Just down from Red Heather. Snow started at the chain-up lot. Pretty slippy up the main hill. Skis on at the parking lot. All the big washouts have been covered enough to ski. A few trees down here and there. We didn't have to take skis off ever though. Puking snow at the hut.

ARTICLES:

Snow Hazards Abound, but smart play OK: Valemount, B.C.

More information on the avalanche that buried Hotel Rigopiano: Italy

Ski Tourer injured in an avalanche near Piau Engaly: France

Reducing the chaos caused by Avalanches: European Commission

Fronts are stronger aloft than at the surface here in the Northwest: Cliff Mass Weather Blog