May 18, 2023

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      No new avalanches observed on Blackcomb Wednesday. 

      Difficult to observe the terrain outside the ski area boundary.

    WEATHER YESTERDAY:

        Sunrise Wednesday was at 05:23 Hrs. +14 Deg C with a 25-35 KPH NNE wind at 1860 m.

      08:00 Hrs. +13 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH West wind at 1835 m.

      10:00 Hrs. +14 Deg C with a 20-25 KPH NNE wind at 1860 m.

      Wednesday May 17, 2023. 12:00 Hrs. +17 Deg C with a 5-15 KPH North wind at 1835 m.

     14:00 Hrs. +17 Deg C with a 5-15 KPH NNW wind at 1860 m.

     16:00 Hrs. +13 Deg C with a 0-10 KPH North breeze at 2280 m.

Weather Observations for May 18, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     +10, Winds were 0-5 KPH E--Horstman Hut

1860 meters     +11, Winds were 0-5 KPH S--Rendezvous  

1650 meters       +8, 0 mm in 12 Hrs, 0 mm in 24 Hrs. Base 150 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     +11, 0 mm in 12 Hrs, 0 mm in 24 Hrs. Base   56 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters       +9, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +28.8, 0.0 mm of precip yesterday.

Highs yesterday--+17 Deg C at 17:30 Hrs at 2280 m, +20 Deg C at 17:30 Hrs at 1860 m.

      As of 06:00 Hrs 0.0 mm recorded at 1650 m. Base 150 cm.

      As of 07:00 Hrs clear skies above the smoke, unlimited visibility. 

FORECAST:

Ridging still in control in a variable transitioning Easterly-Northerly-Southwesterly flow aloft. Sunny skies this am with some cloud and showers pushing in for this pm. The FL is hovering in the 3800 m zone and will likely hover in the 3500-4000 m zone for the next 48 hrs. Similar weather pattern for Friday with dirty ridging and some isolated showers expected around noon. Drier on Saturday with a dirty ridge bringing a mix of sun and cloud. Unsettled on Sunday with a mix of sun, cloud, and isolated showers, transitioning to overcast skies by Sunday night with light rain as an upper trough arrives for Gaper Day. Monday will be mostly overcast with periods of light rain. Unsettled for Monday night with a mix of sun and cloud with seasonable temperatures. Mostly overcast for Tuesday with some isolated showers. Guesstimates: 1-3 mm by Friday am, 0-1 mm by Saturday am, 0 mm by Sunday am, 1-4 mm by Monday am, 1-3 mm by Tuesday am. There is much uncertainty in the models with a very unsettled pattern, amounts will change as the days progress.

      WINDY IMAGE 2023/05/18. 05:00 Hrs.

      GOES 18 VIS & IR Image from this am.

        High pressure Thursday am, upper trough will bring cloud and showers this pm. Warm.

      High pressure Thursday am,  but low will likely send some showers this pm.

      Easterly-Northerly-Southwesterly flow aloft.

        Mix of sun and cloud with low sending some showers Friday. Above average temperatures.

      Low will likely send some showers Friday. Mixed bag on Friday.

        Dirty ridging Saturday with a mix of sun and cloud. Above average temperatures.

      No precipitation expected Saturday, may change.

        Dirty ridging Sunday with a mix of sun and cloud. Convective shower? Above avg Temps.

      Mix of sun and cloud Sunday, may see a pm shower, more on that as we get closer.

      Looking good on this image for Monday but showers are possible. More info needed!

      INFORMATION AND OBSERVATIONS:

      Smoke early Wednesday am. 

      Looking Green at the Blackcomb Gondola Base.

      Fissile in the smoke.

      Working on the bike park, opening is May 19, 2023.

      Grass Skiing on Wednesday.

      Heading to the Spearhead!?

      A mix of ground and snow.

      Standing water on Cloud 9.

      Zig Zag skim pond closed.

      Snow pack disappearing very quickly.

      Smokey in Pemberton, High on Wednesday of 29.9 Deg C.

      21:00 Hrs Wednesday.

      From BC Smoke, still smokey Thursday am, may get an improvement with transition to SW Flow.

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

Backcountry Avalanche Advisory – Sea to Sky

Avalanche Canada advisories are done for the season. Advisories are typically available in fall, winter and spring (October – April). Please check back in Fall 2023 for Whistler and the Sea to Sky region advisories. If you're heading into the mountains this spring, learn more about assessing spring conditions.

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

No new MIN Reports as of 07:00 Hrs.

SHORT CLIPS:

Sometimes the sluff: Overtakes

Wing Foiling: Snowboard

Electric Snow Scooter: Sweden

Snow Kayaking: Looks Fast

ARTICLES:

Avalanches expected due to improved weather and higher temperatures: Austria

Environment Canada Air Quality Health Index: Whistler May 18, 2023

The above-average snowpack has an enemy--Out-of-state dust: Colorado

Snow and avalanche climates in the French Alps using avalanche problem frequencies: Journal of Glaciology

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Goggle contest returning again this year, win a pair of Marker goggles for the best avalanche image for the months of  April-May.  Grand prize best image of the  season will be a Pair of Prior Skis or a Split Board awarded at the end of May.