November 13, 2014

    Satellite image and image above taken at the same time yesterday mourning. November 12, 2014.

    This piece of water will likely be skate able today.

    Blowing snow at the Tube park, Wednesday afternoon.

    There are lots of folks in town itching to go sliding, most likely, they will be able to next weekend.

    Sunset Wednesday evening, officially sunset was at 16:32, ouch the days are getting very short.



Weather observations for November 13, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -11, Winds were 25-65 KPH from the NNE
1860 meters      -8, Winds were 10-25 KPH from the SSE
1550 meters      -9,  Relative Humidity 53 %
  660 meters      -4, Valley Temperature, Max Temp Yest was +0.3

    Clear skies and unlimited visibility this am. Looking a lot like winter!!

For the forecast, cool and dry weather will be with us for today as the strong high pressure maintains its ground.  The strong Easterly flow should ease off a little later today into Friday. The large area of high pressure will maintain itself into early next week, there was a hint of a bit of change in the NAM and GFS models but the ECMWF is looking like the model de jour. Looks like any moisture will be heading south of our area over the weekend. Hopefully this very strong ridge will weaken by next Wednesday. There is certainly the likelihood of warmer temperatures by the weekend as a warmer air mass moves our way on Saturday night,  inverted temperatures, then warm temps up to 3000 meters are forecasted. Much uncertainty in the long range forecast so keep tuned to the ever changing discussion.

    Very strong high pressure to the East. Friends flew from the East yesterday, 35 min off their time.

    The GFS is teasing us.



Never lose your skis again: AlpineHawk

Decision making and Avalanche Mitigation during a rapid onset wet slab avalanche cycle: ISSW 2014 Not happening this week!!

Man made snow  avalanches in the Eastern United States: ISSW 2004
We had one many years ago off Davies Dirvish. Size 1

Five new avalanche statistics you need to know: Snowbrains

    Edge of Alta lake.

    Cool ice formations!!

    Great temperatures for snow making, plus the relative humidity is ideal.

    A couple of days and this will be a snow field.

    Tower guns make great snow!! Its all about the height off the ground.

    Ice Grass.

November 12, 2014

    First light 07:13, 40-60 KPH winds out of the North.

    Snowmaking working its way down the mountain.

    Spindrift coming off Horstman Ridge.

   Awesome view of the Tantalus Range yesterday morning.

    Last light looking South Tuesday evening.



Weather observations for November 12, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters     -10, Winds were 30-70 KPH from the E
1860 meters     -10, Winds were 20-60 KPH from the E
1550 meters     -11,  Relative Humidity 77 %
  660 meters      -4, Valley Temperature, Max Temp Yest was +1.5

    Clear and cold with unlimited visibility this am.

For the forecast, strong upper ridge with an Easterly flow will continue to give us sunny and cold weather into early next week. Freezing levels will begin to rise on Sunday as an upper low may have some influence with a warmer air mass. More on that as we get closer to the week end. This pattern makes for a boring forecast!!

    High pushes any low pressure systems to the South. Forecast image for Saturday.

     Looks like an omega block: Definition of an Omega Block


Articles\Videos:

Avalanche Engineers: Montana

Mounting the Ion Touring Binding: G3

Volkl's Vacum Climbing Skins: Earnyourturns

Italian startup introduces a new alpine snowshoe: Snowfoot

    Great light Tuesday Morning.

    Strong outflow wind in Howe Sound all day. Expect the same conditions today.

    Calm waters.

   The question is?? Will there be sliding this weekend or next weekend.

    Whistler Winter Hawks Bantam A won a tournament in Coquitlam this weekend. 

November 11, 2014

    Sunrise Nov 10, 2014; 07:17 Hours yesterday morning, North Flow some spindrift.

    Guns were running early yesterday morning, 6,000,000 million gallons used in 12 hours.

    First frost of the year, -3 recorded at 660 meters yesterday morning. Puddles were frozen.

    A few American Widgeons enjoying the nice weather.

    Mount Garibaldi is looking very wintry!! Monday late in the day. A few Size 1's.

    Sunset last night. Officially at 16:35.




Weather observations for November 11, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -12, Winds were 35-75 KPH from the ENE
1860 meters    -13, Winds were 20-30 KPH from the WNW
1550 meters      -9,  Relative Humidity 62 %
  660 meters      -2, Valley Temperature, Max Temp Yest was +5.7

    Clear skies and unlimited visibility this am. Looks like there are a few snow whales as well!!



For the forecast, upper ridge holding in a cold Northerly flow, sunny skies and cold temperatures in the alpine. Wednesday will be a repeat, Thursday we may get a few clouds from the low pressure moving into Washington State. Warming slightly on Thursday but freezing levels will still be at the valley floor. Looking like a possibility of some precipitation on Sunday with FL around 1000 meters as the high recedes.  No bets on that one, only time will tell with the jet stream on its wild path. Perfect conditions to make snow in the next few days, the mountains can easily go through 10,000,000 gallons of water per day with its huge inventory of snow guns. When all 200+ are in use it can go up to 12,000,000 gallons per day. That's a lot of man made snow!!

    Surface High and cool temperatures. Looks like the high will be here for the week.

    So close to the system affecting our neighbours to the South of our Zone. Wednesday!!

    High pressure still looking strong for Thursday. We may get a few clouds spill off the low.


ARTICLES:

New leaflet gives walkers and climbers avalanche advice: Scotland

Winter weather hits Mountain Passes; Time for Avalanche Prep: Kootney's

Frigid temperatures on the way: Polar Vortex

Swiss ski resorts open amid Avalanche Warning: Germerican

    -3 will certainly grow some frost crystals.

    Rainbow Park early Monday morning.

    Mount Fee Monday afternoon.

    Blowing snow in the Crystal Zone.

    So cold on Monday morning the crab turned BLUE!

November 10, 2014

    Early Sunday morning, brief glimpse of the Tantalus Range. Snow line down into the trees.

  

   Very cloudy Sunday morning , but patches of blue!

   By days end it was sunny with the odd cloud. A few natural avalanches on Garibaldi.

    Sunset Sunday evening at the Tantalus Look Out.



Weather observations for November 10, 2014; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters    -11, Winds were 30-45 KPH from the NNE
1860 meters      -8, Winds were 30-40 KPH from the NNW
1550 meters      -4,  Relative Humidity 74 %
  660 meters      -3, Valley Temperature, Max Temp Yest was +6, 7.8 mm of rain recorded here      
                                between 12:00-06:00 Yesterday morning. Fianally a frost :)

    Clear skies and unlimited visibility, guns are on, expect some ground fog this morning.


For the Forecast, a dry northerly flow aloft with cold arctic air moving into our zone, will bring clear cold weather for at least one week. There is a disturbance to the South Thursday but it may not reach our zone as the high will be deeply embedded. Looking at the long term forecast we could see a snowy cold pattern by the middle of next week. Will be interesting to see how much water can be converted into snow in the next 7 days?!

    This mornings image. High amplitude ridge building off shore. Arctic air moving in from the NE.

    Cold temperatures in a Northerly flow, with off shore flow.



Benefit-Detriment Analysis for new Rescue Technologies: Avalanche Canada

Recent Avalanche conditions in the Alps: Switzerland

Risk management in the Backcountry: HAMS

Are avalanche airbags effective? Alloffpiste

What it takes to be a Ski Patroller: Medic 52

    Cloudier South of Vancouver on Sunday afternoon.

   Snow above Lions Bay.

    Cool colours in the Fraser Valley, it was cloudy out there most of the day.

    Dusk, looking over Green Lake.

    Back side view of the Tantalus Range from Horseshoe Bay.