December 30, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

   An avalanche has killed a snowboarder in Greece. Story in article section.                         Net Pic

    An avalanche in Austria has killed a 21 year old, story below.            Bergrettung Oberyaure Pic

    Locally, Sz 1 Sc,  Up to Sz 2 in upper elevations with explosives. mostly Sz 1.5.

   Avalanche control produced mostly Sz 1 & Sz 1.5, locally.

    YESTERDAY:

    Overcast in the morning.

    Pre frontal clouds Friday morning.

    Front moved in later in the morning, snowing by 12:00 Hrs.

    Nice soft snow.

    Steeps were skiing well.

    Snowing moderately by 15:00 hrs. Max gust at 2180 meters yesterday was 100 KPH at 16:45 Hrs.

    Heavy snow by 19:00 Hrs.

    By 22:00 hrs Friday night it was accumulating, dog getting first tracks.         Dorith Dooley Image

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

2180 meters      -9, Winds were 25-45 KPH SW--Whistler Peak
1835 meters      -8, Winds were 10-25 KPH SW--Roundhouse
1660 meters      -9, 25 cm of new, 26 cm in 24 hrs  Base 200 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters      -9, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -7.5, 12.7 mm of precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have overcast skies, variable visibility, and it is snowing lightly.

FORECAST:

The low is moving along to the South after some excellent dumpage. Today will be an awesome day with a Northerly flow aloft and unsettled conditions this am. The ridge will begin to build and strengthen this afternoon into Sunday. The freezing level will stay at surface. High pressure will dominate for early next week with dry conditions and a warming trend.
Guesstimates: Trace-1 cm by Sunday morning.

    GOES IR image this am.

    For today we have a lowto the NW, a High to the South, and an artic high to the East.

    From Avalanche Canada for Saturday.

    Looking like the high pressure is moving in quickly.

    High for Sunday.




    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Thin breakable wind skin on North aspects Friday afternoon.

    Multiple cloud layers Friday.

    Wind affect in the couloirs.

    Great snow conditions.

    Always know where you are going. Sometimes its more work than it needs to be!!

    Snowing. From 06:00 to 14:00 hrs 2 cm recorded at 1550 meters.

    Dumping by 18:00 hrs.

    Friday afternoon, nice looking cloud heading our way.

    Big picture Friday, could be a nice Saturday morning.


Recent Avalanche Canada MIN report:

Cowboy Ridge


ARTICLES:

An avalanche kills a snowboarder in Vasilitsa: Greece

An avalanche has killed a 21 year old in Austria: Salzburg

A significant avalanche in Utah:  Four Snowmobilers Buried

CAIC receives 132 avalanche reports in one week: Colorado

Avalanche near Bridger Bowl: Montana

Two evenings of avalanche safety presentations: Colorado