December 19, 2022

     AVALANCHE ACTIVITY: 

      A ski mountaineer has died in an avalanche near Courmayeur. Article below.      Net Pic

     Still very active in Utah. 2022/12/17. Click> UAC Report                                Greg Gavin Image

      From Montana. 2022/12/16. Click>GNFAC Report.                                            GNFAC Image

       No new avalanches observed on Whister Sunday. Dry loose on steep lee terrain. SSL forming!

      No new avalanche activity noted on Blackcomb. Soft slabs forming on steep lee terrain.

      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise was at 08:07 Hrs Sunday. -18 Deg C with a 10-20 KPH SW wind at 2280 m.

     10:30 Hrs. Some breaks appearing. -17 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH South wind at 2280 m.

      This image from same time line as above image.

     Sunday December 18, 2022. 12:00 Hrs. - 22 Deg C with a 5-20 KPH West wind at 1835 m.

     Visibility improved by 13:00 Hrs. -20 Deg C with a 0-10 KPH West breeze at 1860 m.

      3 cm recorded at 1650 m from 06:00 to 14:00 Hrs Sunday. Base 109 cm.

      Sunset was at 16:11 Hrs. -20 Deg C with a 0-10 KPH WNW wind at 2280 m.

Weather Observations for December 19, 2022 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -21, Winds were 30-40 KPH S-Horstman Hut

2180 meters     -20, Winds were 25-35 KPH SW-Whistler Peak

1860 meters     -18, Winds were 10-20 KPH SSW--Rendezvous  

1835 meters     -18, Winds were 10-20 KPH SSW--Round House

1650 meters     -24, 1 cm in 12 Hrs, 4 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 110 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     -23, trace in 12 Hrs, 3 cm in 24 Hrs. Base   59 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters     -18, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was -6, 0.4 mm of precip yesterday. 

-20 Deg C with a 30 KPH wind brings wind chill to -33.

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

      06:00 Hrs this am, 1 cm recorded at 1650 m, 0.4 mm in the precip gauge. Base 110 cm.

FORECAST:

Arctic high will bring mostly sunny skies for today in a Northwesterly flow aloft. Cold temperatures with outflow winds. Lingering cloud may dissipate later this am. Models diverge today with some calling for some snow. Seems cold and dry. There is a shortwave trough coming down the coast so time will tell. It arrives tonight or Tuesday. Looks like unsettled weather for Wednesday with a mix of sun and cloud. May see the sun briefly on Thursday with mostly overcast conditions expected. Trough arrives Friday with periods of light snow. Warmer temps and an active front arrives for Saturday. More on that as we get closer. Guesstimates: 0-trace by Tuesday am, 1-2 cm by Wednesday am, 0 cm by Thursday am,  0 cm by Friday am.

      GOES IR Image from this am.

      GOES 17 ABI Image 2022/12/19. 05:00 Hrs.

        Arctic high will bring sunny skies today, very cold temperatures & outflow winds.

      Arctic high pushing out onto the Coast. May be some lingering cloud this am.

      Northwesterly flow aloft.

      Weak shortwave trough for Tuesday with periods of very light snow. Overcast and cold.

      Overcast skies with some snow flurries for Tuesday.

        Arctic high pushes back out onto the coast, mix of sun and cloud, dry and cold.

      Mix of sun and cloud Wednesday. Dry.

      Low brushes by on Wednesday. Still some differences in the various models.

       Looks like it could be quite interesting too our South Wednesday.

      Arctic Boundary on Thursday with mostly overcast skies. Cold.

      Overcast skies but dry on Thursday.

      Precipitation returns on Friday. More on that in tomorrow's post.

11

       Freezing rain for some areas Saturday when the Pacific warm air mixes with the cold Arctic air. 

       INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

      Challenging visibility at times. 10:30 Hrs. -20 Deg C with a 5-15 KPH SW wind at 1860 m.

       There were some fresh turns for the early birds.

      Steady crowd for a cold Sunday morning. -13 Deg C in the valley. 11:00 Hrs. Soccer Rush?

      Image from Sunday at noon.

      Arctic Front Battleground. Temperatures are dropping.

     Some breaks in the front at around 11:00 Hrs.

 

      Looked and felt like a cold Arctic front.

      Still making snow.

      Surface Hoar on the Duffy.                                                                         Alexis Miquelon Pic

      Cayoosh Area toward Million Dollar Ridge. Saturday Dec 17, 2022.

      Ski touring on the Duffy. No avalanches observed. Some old wet loose. Alexis Miquelon Pic

      From breakable crust to moist crust. Large surface Hoar.                       Alexis Miquelon Pic

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

 

Travel and Terrain Advice

Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.

If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Sea to Sky Advisory at top of side bar.

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Boney Body Bag: Dec 18, 2022

Flute: Dec 18, 2022

Seymour Backcountry: Dec 18, 2022

Hollyburn + Strachan: Dec 18, 2022

More snow than reported in the avalanche forecast: Dec 18, 2022

Callaghan Lake: Dec 17, 2022

Snowspider: Dec 17, 2022

SHORT CLIPS:

Hitting the sweet spot: Snowboarding

Nice Pow Turns: Telemarking

Inflating the air bag: Snowboarding

                                        

Storm Slabs: AvyBites

Ice Climbing Avalanche: Colorado

Recovery of avalanche victim: Courmayeur

ARTICLES: 

A ski mountaineer has died in an avalanche near Courmayeur: Italy

Fresh warnings for off piste skiers  after more avalanche deaths in France: Planet Ski

Frigid Arctic outbreak with coldest air mass of the winter, winter storm coming: Christmas Week Forecast

Concern of professionals in the face of many deadly avalanches at the start of the Season: ANENA

Need to use google translate.

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