September 19, 2014

New device to measure layers in the snowpack. First saw work on a similar project back in the late 80's at Alta. Certainly has taken time for the idea to come to fruition. Wonder what happened to the Sabre?: Idea from 2005. Device will be at the ISSW in Banff at the end of September. Website on SP1 in the article section below.

   Avalanche that killed a Patroller at Wolfe Creek, owner facing charges, story below. CAIC Photo                                                                        

    Nice day in Squamish September 15, 2014.

    Heron Cruising the Fitzsimmons Creek September 16, 2014.

    Looking up at the mountains on Tuesday you can really see the effect of a dry warm summer.

    Wednesday morning, Cloudy and dark at 06:40 hours.

    Fall colours are starting to show. September 17, 2014.

    Shot of a  sucker hole over Whistler Thursday Sept 18, 2014 at around 15:00 Hrs.

    Satellite image from yesterday at the same time as the picture above was taken.


Weather Observations for September 19, 2014; taken at 07:00 hrs.


2240 meters        +3, Winds were 20-30 KPH from the SSW
1860 meters        +6, Winds were 10-25 KPH from the E
1550 meters        +8, Relative Humidity 98 %
  660 meters      +12, Valley Temperature, Max Temp Yest +15.6, 1.4 mm fell up to midnight

    As of 07:00 hours we had mostly cloudy skies with limited visibility.

    Upper ridge is already beginning to build to the West, hole moving through this morning.

For the forecast, the upper level trough in a westerly flow aloft will slowly move East and the multilayer clouds will dissipate as the day progresses. May take time for some of the low-level clouds to move away. A strong upper ridge will begin to build bringing sunny skies for Saturday, the
offshore flow will also bring warmer temperatures as the ridge amplifies into Sunday. A significant low to the North of our zone will bring wetter and cooler weather to the area beginning later on Monday, the first day of spring. Unsettled into Tuesday evening, a cold front is expected to affect us in a Southwest flow bringing significant precipitation to the area Wednesday into Thursday. This pattern may continue into late next week. It had to change, we have just experienced a very dry stretch of weather over the summer. Fall is here, get out the rain gear.

    Ridge will amplify into the weekend.

     Low pressure will bring cooler and cloudier conditions early Tues,  Significant change on Wed.



Video Friday's:

How to crush your house: Bad falling job

Elixir: A Film about Nick Geddes

Trailer for; Out on a Limb: Vasu Sajitra




Articles:

Brutal Winter? Almanac could be wrong, Scientists say: CBS News

Second Fatality this year on Sky Pilot near Squamish: The Province

September Pow: Powder Canada

Avatech has launched its new website: SP1

New BCA Tracker 3-Review: Backcountry Skiing Blog

Owner of Wolfe Creek faces criminal charges in avalanche death of ski patroller: Unofficial Networks

    Mount Garibaldi feeling the heat!

    Land  based view of the Meager Creek slide!

    GFS models, high pressure amplifying into Sunday.

    Front approaching the coast on Monday.

    Cold front forecasted for Tuesday evening.

September 15, 2014

    Sunrise Friday September 12, 2014.

    Smoke from the fire in Felix Creek near Bralorne. Friday morning.

    First light on Plinth Peak, Saturday morning.

    Spyder Peak in the Upper Lillooet River.

    Sunrise September 14, 2014; over the Pemberton Ice Cap.

    Mount Meager Sunday September 14, 2014.


Weather observations for September 15, 2014; taken at 07:00 Hrs.

2180 meters        +11, Winds were 10-15 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters        +11, Winds were 0-5 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters        +10, Relative Humidity 46%
  660 meters          +6, Valley temperature, Max Temp Yest +28.6

For the forecast, we can expect another sunny day today as the high pressure aloft remains in our zone. Tuesday at this time is also looking quite nice with the possibility of cloud development later in the day. The high pressure is slowly being pushed East as a low moves down the coast.  Unsettled conditions will continue into Wednesday with a mix of sun, cloud, and cooler temperatures. The low pressure system to the North will bring increasing cloud to the area Wednesday evening with the chance of some light precipitation into Thursday and Friday. Check GFS models below!!  Saturday at this time is looking unsettled as the ridge tries to reestablish itself for the weekend. There is some disagreement in the models for the weekend so more on that Friday.

    Satellite image from Sunday afternoon, looking pretty clear.

    Big picture from yesterday, clouds expected on Wednesday but I doubt if it will rain much.

    GFS model not showing much precipitation for us on Thursday.

    High pressure rebuilds late Friday into Saturday.


13Th Annual Colorado Snow Avalanche Workshop: October 17, 2014

10 Commandments of Avalanche Safety: Bruce Temper

SkiDoo offering all riders free avalanche awareness courses: Snowgoer

Summary of BC SAR calls September 1-7, 2014: Emergency Management BC

Glaciers in Northern Antarctic Peninsula melting faster than ever: Science Daily

   

    Clouds dissipated quickly on Friday morning.

    Mostly ice.

    Close up of Pylon Peak.

    Another perspective of Pylon Peak.

    Top of the Squamish Glacier, still some white patches of snow at 7000 Feet.

September 12, 2014

    Earthquake Induced Avalanche, information in articles below.                       Earth Observatory Pic

    First light September 8, 2014. Awesome day, it did eventually rain, 1.2 mm fell at Nester's Stn.

    At around 17:00 Hours the clouds became angry and it did rain for a while.

    Just on the edge of the nasty clouds, image taken at the same time as the rain event.

    Sunrise Tuesday September 9, 2014; unsettled conditions.

    Tantalus Range cloudy Tuesday morning.

    Very calm Howe Sound Wednesday morning.

    Inflow Wednesday afternoon in Squamish, felt like 20 knots.

    Not many clouds in the sky Wednesday morning, sunrise; September 10, 2014.

    Sunrise Thursday morning, September 11, 2014. Cooler temperatures in the alpine, -1 at 2180 M.

   Alpen glow at sunset Thursday evening. Smoke to the North! Fire in Felix Creek!



Weather observations for September 12, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hrs.

2180 meters        +6, Winds were 15-25 KPH from the WNW
1835 meters        +6, Winds were 5-15 KPH form the ESE
1650 meters        +5, Relative Humidity 45 %
  660 meters        +4, Valley Temperature, Max Temp yest +21.5



For the forecast, high pressure aloft will maintain a dry and slow warming pattern into early next week. Some cloud in the area this am but it should dissipate later this morning. We have been experiencing incredibly nice weather in the Pacific Northwest this summer. Models are in disagreement to a change possibly coming on Wednesday, but as of now it looks like clouds could move in as soon as Tuesday evening early Wednesday morning. More on that subject Monday.

    High pressure aloft maintains its dominance of the weather pattern.

    Big picture from yesterday afternoon.


Video Friday:

Volcanic eruption in Papua New Guinea: Cool Shockwave

Unicycling Moab: Balancing on the edge

Wingsuit Base Jumping: Switzerland

FMX Crash: Ouch

Skateboarder appreciates his helmet: Another Ouch




Articles:

Another winter prediction: Powderchasers.com

Job posting for an Avalanche Programs Specialist: Kabul, Afghanistan

1,000,000,000 Lightning sources in 1 hour recently: Southern Ontario, Need to harvest that energy!!

Research Paper on Compression and Shear loading in Snow: India

Earthquake Induced Avalanche: Earth Observatory

$182.5 million for Park City Ski Resort: SAM

    Duffy Lake looking very green. Glacial silt from Van Horlick Creek.                  Doug Tuck Photo

    Looking Northwest early Monday morning.

    Strong wind Tuesday afternoon in Squamish.

    Pylon Peak: Some info on the area

   There are some wide cracks on many glacial features in our area.

    Mature dragonfly.