January 1, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    An avalanche has buried a skier on Kootney Pass. Information in article section below.

    An avalanche has killed a snowmobiler in Salt River Range, Wyoming: Story below.        Net Pic

    Locally, Sz 1-2.5 natural avalanches observed in the area.

    YESTERDAY:

    Early morning, high scattered cloud.

    Stratus layers creeping into the valleys.

    Clear to to Northwest.

    A truly awesome day Sunday.

    Skiing some pow.                                                                                                Julianne Budd Pic

    High scattered cloud in the afternoon.

    Nice light for most of the day.


Weather Observations for January 1, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters      0, Winds were 20-30 KPH W--Whistler Peak
1835 meters    +1, Winds were   5-10 KPH W--Roundhouse
1660 meters     -3, 0 cm of new, 0 cm in 24 hrs  Base 187 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters   -13, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -5.2, 0.0 mm of precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility.

FORECAST:

An upper level ridge will bring unsettled weather for today in a North to Northwesterly flow aloft. The freezing level will reach 2400+ meters today with inverted temperatures. Tomorrow will be similar with the ridge strengthening for Wednesday. Unsettled again on Thursday before a warm
frontal band pushes through Thursday night into Friday with light snowfall.

    GOES IR image from this am, clouds in the area.

    Warm temperatures today.

    Mixed bag for Today.

    Fronts on the Coast.

    Ridge with some cloud in the area for Tuesday.


INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Wind slab avalanche.

    Off Phalnax Ridge.

    Many pockets of wind slab from Sunday night.

    Blackcomb Glacier Creek

    Cool frost formations.

    Lots of dry light snow below treeline.

    Loaner.

   Sunday afternoon.

    Big picture on Sunday, lots of cloud.

From Avalanche Canada recent MIN reports:

Whistler Backcountry

Duffy Area



ARTICLES:

An avalanche has buried a skier in Kootney Pass: British Columbia

An avalanche has killed a snowmobiler in Salt River Range: Wyoming

Update on the avalanche near Val D'Isere: France

Local Backcountry rescue groups remind public to report all avalanche activity: Vail Daily

A snowboarder has died in a tree well in Whitefish Mountain Resort: Montana