February 16, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    An off piste avalanche has killed 3 skiers in Cauterets, France. Story in article section. Net Pic

    A mountaineer has been killed in an avalanche near Cuneo, Italy. Story below.             Net Pic

    An avalanche has killed a skier on Chopok Mountain, Slovakia. Story below.            Zdraj:HZS pic

    An avalanche has killed a skier on Gulmarg, Northern India. Information below.          Net Pic

    Locally, no new avalanche activity was reported yesterday.



   YESTERDAY:

    High overcast in the morning.

    Front did begin to move down from the North.

    By the afternoon the Peaks were becoming obscured.

    Eventually it started snowing lightly.

    After closing Thursday afternoon.

    Thursday afternoon.

    Big picture on Thursday, front was slow coming in.

Weather Observations for February 16, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters   -10, Winds were 50-65 KPH S   --Whistler Peak
1835 meters     -7, Winds were 30-55 KPH SW--Roundhouse
1660 meters     -5, 4 cm of new, 4 cm in 24 hrs  Base 284 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters     -1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +0.9, trace of precip recorded yest

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



FORECAST:

A weak warm front will move through the area today in a Northwest flow aloft. The FL could go as high as 1200 meters with periodic light snow fall through the morning, easing in the afternoon with the possibility of some breaks.  A stronger frontal band will push through Friday night into Saturday with a dropping FL (at or just above surface) and strong winds. A cold upper trough for Sunday morning, clearing for Monday with cool temperatures associated with the modified Arctic front. As of now Tuesday & Wednesday are looking unsettled! A weak front may push in Wednesday. More on that as we get closer!!
Guesstimates:  8-12 cm by Saturday morning, 15-25 cm by Sunday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am. Most of the precip has gone South.

    Warming up today.

    Warm front this am.

    A few breaks later this afternoon.

    Not sure why but fronts seem to be missing.

    Arctic front will bring cooler temperatures.

    Stronger front for Saturday.

    High could start building by Saturday evening.

    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Very high cirrus cloud in the morning.

    Sun could be seen through the cloud.

    A grey day.

    Even at 0 deg some fresh snow on the branches in the valley.

    River of Golden Dreams in a protected area.

    Lower Insanity.

    At around 13:00 Hrs yesterday afternoon. Started to lightly snow in the alpine by 14:00 Hrs.


VIDEO FRIDAY:

Avalanche that Buried: Trans Canada Hwy

Digging out after close call: Montana

Deep Persistent Slab Avalanches: CAIC

Sometimes you get lucky: Gerryoftheday


ARTICLES:

Three skiers have been killed in an avalanche in the Pyrenees: France

Mountaineer killed by an avalanche near Cuneo: Italy

An avalanche has killed a skier on Chopok Mountain: Slovakia

Avalanche kills one skier in Gulmarg: Kashmir

How to survive an avalanche: WikiHow

Avalanche Researcher taps commercial guides for Expertise: SFU

Zermatt ski resort again cut off due to avalanche threat: Switzerland

Special Weather Alert For: Whistler