November 25, 2014

    No line ups and snowmaking early Monday.  Life is good!!

    Pig Alley weather plot. 1650 meters? Maximum Temp Yest -1, Minimum Temp -4.5.

    Skiers and snowboarders leaving area boundary on Whistler, November 23, 2014.

    Snowed to the valley on Monday.



Weather observations for November 25, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters      -6, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the NNE
2180 meters      -5, Winds were 15-30 KPH from the WNW
1860 meters      -3, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the NNE
1835 meters      -2, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters      -2, 10 cm of new snow, 19 cm in 24 Hours, Base 58 cm
1550 meters      -1, Relative Humidity 97%
  660 meters       0,Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +2.3, 12.7 mm recorded there Yest.

    As of 06:30 we have overcast conditions with limited visibility.

For the forecast, weak front continues to move through the area in a Northwesterly flow aloft, with a warm front approaching later today, becoming a Southwest flow. We can expect another 8-10 cm above 1500 meters by tonight. Freezing levels will rise to 2200 meters briefly Wednesday morning than begin to drop to 2000 meters by Thursday morning. Wednesday will see periods of moderate to heavy precipitation.  The heavy precipitation warning is easing off to 60-90 mm of free water, and for a shorter duration. Would still like to see it go South or North!! By Thursday afternoon a trailing cold front will lower Freezing levels to 1800 meters with some wet snow above that mark. Friday will be unsettled, mostly cloudy with some very light flurries clearing up by the evening. At this time Saturday is still looking like a clear cold day with FL below 660 meters. As always stay tuned for the update tomorrow morning.

    Looking moist for today, with light snow in the alpine!!

    Warm front followed by a cold front.

    Cold front by Thursday.

ARTICLES: 

Past avalanche death raises questions as resorts expand backcountry skiing: SantFe, NM

Early Season Avalanche Information: Montana

Better Forecasts are Seattle avalanche victims legacy: Crowdfunding

This is what some of America looks like today: Frozen

Dynafit Speed Radical 2014-2015: Unboxed

    Snowing to the valley Monday afternoon.

    Snow Measurement at 1650 Meters, Pig Alley, November 25 Th- At 14:30 Hours there was 45 cm.

    Stair tracks on a snowy Monday afternoon!!

November 24, 2014

    Snow made it down in to the valley early Sunday morning.

    Looking good at Creekside. No line up at 10:00 Hours.

    Will be nice to see more green than red!!

    Sunday, November 23, 2014.

    Looks like the crevasses are slowly filling in on the Horstman Glacier.


Weather observations for November 24, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters      -7, Winds were 15-25 KPH from the S
2180 meters      -6, Winds were 30-50 KPH from the S
1860 meters      -6, Winds were 20-35 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters      -4, Winds were 25-45 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters      -3, 1 cm new overnight, 3 cm in 24 Hours, Base 43 cm
1550 meters      -2, Relative Humidity 95%
  660 meters     +1,Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +4.2, 5.2mm recorded there early am yesterday.

   As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have light snow, overcast skies and limited visibility. 

For the forecast, increasing cloud with light precipitation can be expected this morning in a Westerly flow.  By this evening a weak warm front will push through with steady light precipitation into Tuesday evening. The brunt of the front with origins from the Pineapple State will arrive Tuesday evening/early Wednesday morning with heavy precipitation and rising freezing levels. This pattern will continue into Thursday evening when a trailing cold front is forecasted to move through the area lowering the freezing levels prior to a strong surface high building in central BC. Unsettled weather for Friday as the high pressure builds into Saturday with clear cold weather in a Northerly flow. The good news is the freezing levels will not be as high as forecasted yesterday. They should max out briefly at 2200 meters on Wednesday morning then slowly moderate to 1800 meters by Thursday evening. 
Guesstimates 5-10 cm by Tuesday morning, 8-10 cm by Wednesday morning above 1700 meters. The atmospheric river heading our way could bring any where from 80-120 mm of water equivalent to the valley. Hoping it may track a bit more to the South and spare us of the deluge. More on that tomorrow. 

    Front moving through today.

    Begins to look like an atmospheric river by Tuesday. A bit further South would be nice!!

    Cold front trailing the warm front on Thursday.

    Dry and cold weather by Saturday.

    Image from yesterday afternoon.



ARTICLES: 

Avalanche Safety Experts want you to educate yourself this winter: Edmonton, AB

Black Diamond issues voluntary Whippet recall: Backcountry Magazine

Insurance Company won't pay for airlift: Nepal Avalanche

Betting on Climate Predictions: NOAA

Avalanche control efforts stall Alta's opening day, 2 homes hit in slide: Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

    Nice to see the snow work its way down to the valley.

    Swans taking a break on Alta Lake yesterday.

    American Dipper looking for food at Lost Lake.

    Some fresh snow near the town centre.

November 23, 2014

    Nice light November 22, 2014.

    Snow line came down Saturday morning.

    Fresh snow made for an awesome beginning to the Season.

    First to get up on the mountain Saturday morning.

    Still unsettled at dusk.



2240 meters      -7, Winds were 30-40 KPH from the S
2180 meters      -5, Winds were 35-50 KPH from the S
1860 meters      -5, Winds were 20-35 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters      -3, Winds were 15-40 KPH from the SSE
1650 meters   -2.5, 11 cm of new snow, Base 43 cm
1550 meters      -3, Relative Humidity 97%
  660 meters       0,Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +1, .3mm recorded there before midnight.

    As of 07:45 this am it was snowing lightly with overcast skies and limited visibility.

For the forecast, the fast moving cold front in a westerly flow will be moving east this morning. We will get light snow tapering to flurries  this am but drier weather will prevail into tomorrow morning in a Northwesterly flow. A warm front is heading our way for Monday afternoon with moist conditions into Wednesday. There is little confidence in the models beyond Wednesday. Our zone will feel the brunt of this system with heavy amounts expected. Freezing levels today should hover around 1000 meters, as the front approaches we will get light snow and a FL rising to 1500 meters by Monday evening. The meat of the storm will arrive Tuesday afternoon, with FL rising to 2500 meters by Tuesday evening. Wednesday is looking wet with a FL around 2100 meters. Guesstimates 2-4 cm by this afternoon, 5-10 cm by Tuesday morning. So far Tuesday night into Wednesday night could deliver a mini atmospheric river. 80-100 mm of precipitation. More on that as we get closer. 

    GFS model for today.

    GFS model for Monday afternoon.

    Satellite image from yesterday at noon.

    The big picture Saturday afternoon.

ARTICLES: 

First Impressions of the winter: Avalanche Canada

Avalanche Training offered Nov 22,23 at Mount Seymour: Canada West Mountain School

Photos from upstate New York's snow storm: Snow Addiction

What is Glacier National Park without the Glaciers: The Bulletin

    Many happy people finally getting some turns.

   Merganser negotiating class 3 & 4 water on the Cheakamus River.

    Thanks to Lawrence McIntosh for this link explaining this phenomena: Pipkrite

November 22, 2014

 

    Looks like an awesome day for the start of the 2014-2015 Winter Season.

    Line up as of 07:30, this am!!

    It was nice to do some training inside yesterday!!

    Light rain for most of the day, snowing in the mountains.

    Every so often the snow line would appear.

    Movember Helicopter, dark early yesterday, sunset was at 16:21. Days are becoming very short.


2240 meters      -8, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the WSW
2180 meters      -7, Winds were 35-45 KPH from the WSW
1860 meters      -7, Winds were 15-20 KPH from the E
1835 meters      -5, Winds were 20-40 KPH from the S
1650 meters      -5, 5 cm of new snow, 10 cm in 24 hours, Base of 40cm 
1550 meters      -3, Relative Humidity 97%
  660 meters     +1, Valley Temperature, Max Temp Yest +4.9, 9.7 mm recorded there Yest


For the forecast, a very weak ridge of high pressure is trying to establish itself in our zone. Unsettled conditions for today with cool temperatures (FL 1100 meters) with a mix of sun and cloud. Cloud will cling to the mountains most of the day. A strong fast moving front will arrive this evening into Sunday. Guesstimate of 8-10 cm by tomorrow afternoon. Monday and Tuesday will bring some weak fronts with light snow above 1200 meters. A ridge of high pressure may push into the area by Wednesday.

    Unsettled conditions for today. We may get some flurries.

    Fast moving front moving in this evening.

    Looks like unsettled conditions for tomorrow afternoon as well.


ARTICLES:

As Snow ends, roof collapses, flood concerns: Buffalo, NY

Heavy snow falling on some BC Highways: Global BC

Snow pack preview in Cottonwood Canyon Utah: Bruce Temper

Tips on staying safe on your snowmobile: Colorado

    A cloudy day within light precipitation, November 21, 2014.

    Class D helicopter operation.

    Rescue training on Friday.

    Satellite image from yesterday afternoon.

    Front yesterday was certainly more intense to the South.