May 19, 2023

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      An avalanche on Jungfrau Peak in the Bernese Alps has killed a Polish Alpinist. Article below.

      No new avalanches observed on Blackcomb Thursday.

      Lots of old avalanche activity on a recent flight to Bella Coola.                                        LT Pic

      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Thursday was at 05:21 Hrs. +10 Deg C with a 0-5 KPH East puff at 2280 m.

      08:00 Hrs. +10 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH SE breeze at 1860 m.

      10:00 Hrs. +13 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH SE breeze at 1860 m.

      Thursday May 18, 2023. 12:00 Hrs. +14 Deg C with a 10-20 KPG SE wind at 1835 m.

      14:00 Hrs. +15 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH WNW breeze at 1860 m.

      16:00 Hrs. +12 Deg C with a 30-45 KPH SSW wind at 2280 m.

      21:30 Hrs. +10 Deg C with a 10-25 KPH SE wind at 1860 m.

Weather Observations for May 19, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     +7, Winds were 10-15 KPH S--Horstman Hut

1860 meters     +7, Winds were   5-10 KPH SE--Rendezvous  

1650 meters     +7, 0 mm in 12 Hrs, 0 mm in 24 Hrs. Base 144 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     +9, 0 mm in 12 Hrs, 0 mm in 24 Hrs. Base   47 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters   +10, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +27.9, 0.0 mm of precip yesterday.

High Thursday at 2280 m was +13.5 Deg C at 17:45 Hrs. High at 1860 m was +16.5 Deg C at 16:30 Hrs.

09:15 upload on Excalibur Lift.

      As of 06:00 Hrs 0.0 mm recorded at 1650 m. Base 144 cm.

 As of 07:00 Hrs we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility. Cooler should be some crust recovery.

     

FORECAST:

Dirty ridging this am with a mix of sun and cloud in a Southerly-transitioning to Southwesterly flow aloft. The FL has dropped to around 3200 m and will likely rise to around 3800 m with daytime heating. Still above average temperatures until Monday. Dirty ridging for Saturday am with a mix of sun and cloud, ridge strengthens in the pm with sunny skies and above average temperatures. Dirty ridging for Sunday with the chance of some pm showers with convective cloud development. Low moving into the zone as the High weakens. Unsettled Monday with a mix of sun and cloud and periods of light rain. Mostly overcast Tuesday with some periods of light precipitation. Guesstimates: 0 mm by Saturday am, 0 mm by Sunday am, 0-1 mm by Monday am, trace-2 mm by Tuesday am.

      GOES IR IMAGE from this am. Coastal stratus layer.

      WINDY IMAGE 2023/05/19. 05:00 Hrs.

       Ridge of high pressure for Friday, mix of sun and cloud. Above average temperatures.

      Some cloud in the mix but no precipitation on Friday.

      Southerly to Southwesterly flow aloft.

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

      No precipitation on Saturday. Mix of sun and cloud in the am, sunny in the pm.

          Dirty ridging on Sunday, mix of sun and cloud. PM Showers. Slightly above average temps.

      Mix of sun and cloud, convective showers possible in the pm on Sunday.

       Weak shortwave trough for Monday with cooler temperatures and periods of light precip.

      Clouds will move in on Monday with periods of light precipitation. Seasonable temperatures.

      INFORMATION AND OBSERVATIONS:

     08:30 Hrs. Smoke looks to be dissipating slowly on Thursday.

      Upload out of the village Thursday was at 09:15 Hrs.

      Skiing to the valley is done. Too much walking! It is closed for a reason!

      Horstman Creek Waterfall pumping and melting the surrounding snowpack..

      Some smoke around in the am, but Southerly flow eventually cleared it out.

      Much nicer air in the pm.

       Running out of snow on the Catskinner Road from Springboard.

       Cumulus Clouds in the afternoon, felt some drops on a bike ride in the pm.

      Fitzsimmons Creek was pumping Thursday afternoon.

      Horstman Creek was pumping.

      Awesome turns to be had in the am.

     Standing water on Cloud Nine!

      Snow melting everywhere at an astonishing rate!

      Early bird gets the turns.

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:

Big Line: Serious Sluff Management

Cliff Party: Sending It

Jump Turns on: Belay

Skiing/skateboarding: Trick

ARTICLES:

Polish climber dies in an avalanche on Mount Jungfrau 2023/05/18: Switzerland

Everest 2023-A deadly and record breaking season: Nepal

Melt Freeze Metamorphism: Cooler Temperatures

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