March 21, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Avalanche control in Hatcher Pass, Alaska. Article below.                                                   Net Pic

    Locally, no new avalanches observed yesterday.



    YESTERDAY:

    Overcast early Tuesday morning.

    Lots of low level cloud in the morning, first day of Spring.

    There were some breaks Tuesday morning.

    Eventually the low cloud layer did lift.

    Challenging visibility at times.

    17:30Hrs on Tuesday evening, -3 Deg C at 1835 Meters.

    Tuesday afternoon.

    Big picture on Tuesday.


Weather Observations for March 21, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters     -8, Winds were 25-30 KPH SE  --Whistler Peak
1835 meters     -5, Winds were 15-20 KPH ESE--Roundhouse
1660 meters     -6, 0 cm of new, 0 cm in 24 hrs  Base 288 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters     -2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +6.4, 0.0 mm of precip recorded yest

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



FORECAST:

Unsettled this am but eventually it will be overcast today with a moist southwest flow aloft. Flurries can be expected later in the day but the brunt of the precipitation will arrive tonight/early Thursday. The freezing level will likely go up to 1500 meters with daytime heating. A warm front, followed by a cold front should bring more precipitation for Thursday, with the FL starting at around 1800 meters dropping to surface by Thursday night. Broad cool upper level low will bring more precipitation for Friday with the FL remaining at surface. An upper trough will bring unsettled conditions by Saturday afternoon into Sunday in a Northwest flow aloft. The FL will rise during the day with daytime warming but is expected to hover in the 800 meter range.
Guesstimates: 4-8 cm by Thursday morning, 15-25 cm by Friday morning, 10-15 cm by Saturday morning, 0 m by Sunday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am.

    Slightly cooler, low from the South will creep up the coast.

    May see some flurries this am.

    Lots going on.

    Fronts along the coast.

    Warm front followed by a cold front.

    Snow to the valley.

    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Low level cloud in the morning did rise as the day progressed.

    Firm conditions in the alpine.

    Not often in March it is low.

    Great breaks Tuesday morning.

    Solar Coaster.

    Man made snow in the trees.

    Catskinner has a base of 219 cm as of 14:30 Hrs on Tuesday.


From South Coast Touring:

Manouane Deschenes March 20 at 9:51am

My opinion of the Spearhead traverse is that it is very crusty and icy in spots. I did not find any good fluffy snow (well while going downhill...;)) until Whirlwind. Not sure where others found fluffy snow. However this is interesting, in my 4 years of doing the traverse it's the first time I see people put tracks on Macbeth and on Fitzsimmons. It's would be very careful before committing to steep slopes that may have very crusty conditions. Found that the Guides's notch to Naden gl.was pretty thinly covered. We bootpacked it.

ARTICLES:

Soldiers injured in Vermont avalanche released from Hospital: Army Mountain Warfare School

If you get caught in an avalanche, this is who might save you: Avy Dogs

Park Rangers respond to Avalanche Accident: Jackson Hole

DOT crews using explosives to reduce avalanche risk in Hatcher Pass: Alaska