December 11, 2014

    Snow balling yesterday morning as the Freezing level went back up to 2000 meters.

   A result on Lower Chain Saw Ridge from yesterday morning. Xe.  Alpine is filling in!!

    Lower mountain took a beating Tues and Wed but you could still make it down to the valley.

    Started snowing again at 1860 meters around noon yesterday. 0 degrees at 12:00 Hours.

    Wet snow at 1860 meters. -0.5 at 16:00 Hours, Dec 10, 2014.



Weather observations for December 11, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters         -5, Winds were 35-55 KPH from the SSE
2180 meters         -4, Winds were 35-50 KPH from the NNW??
1860 meters         -3, Winds were 10-25 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters         -2, No wind Data
1650 meters      -0.5, 10 cm of new snow, Base 78 cm
1550 meters      -0.5, 8 cm of new snow, Base 45 cm Relative Humidity 100%

  660 meters        +3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +6.2, 70.3 mm of Precip recorded yesterday

Above 1750 meters there was accumulation of around 30 cm of new snow!!

   As of 07:00 Hrs we have overcast skies, variable visibility and it is snowing less than 1 cm per hour.

For the forecast, the intense frontal band stalled over the area last night with decreasing freezing levels and heavy precipitation. The front moved Eastward in the early hours of the morning. Today we can expect light snow for the morning and afternoon before we are affected by a deep strong low originating off the California coast. This system will bring strong winds and heavy snow this evening but most of the energy will be South of our area. Freezing levels will hover around 1500 meters and should drop to 1200 meters by tomorrow evening. Friday will be cloudy with some flurries.
An upper ridge will bring dry unsettled weather into next week. Guesstimates: 10-15 cm by Friday morning.

    Large warm air mass slowly passing through the area yesterday at noon.

    Looking unsettled out in the Pacific.

        Temperatures for today look favourable, FL around 1500 meters.

    Will see some more precipitation later today.

    Drying out for Saturday. Unsettled Sunday. Freezing Levels dropping to 700 meters in the evening.

    Dry and mostly sunny for Monday. Freezing levels around 1000 meters.



ARTICLES & VIDEOS:

Temperature anomalies are warming faster than Earth's average: Science Daily

Awesome video on Snowmobiling in Avalanche Terrain: Knowledge is Power

Slide Scenarios: Montana

Mount Washington records first avalanche of the year: New Hampshire

Colorado High Court to hear ski area avalanche "Inherent Risk" case: Denver Post

    Snowing 2-3 cm per hour at 16:00 Hours yesterday afternoon.

     Some of the carnage from the intense storm on Tuesday!

    Snowing down to 1550 meters yesterday at around 16:00 Hours.

    In the alpine it was accumulating quickly.

                              Come out and support this worth while cause.

December 10, 2014

    Early Tuesday morning, testing out the Gore-Tex.

    Avalanche control work produced size 1-2 wet slides in the am. Skiing in a slurry.

    Natural avalanches, some from cornice drops during the storm early Tuesday morning. Size 1 & 2.

    Sad to see some of the natural and man made snow flowing to Lillooet Lake.

    Man made snow is pretty resilient. Still able to get to the valley. Reports of lightning yesterday aft.


Weather observations for December10, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters      -1.5, Winds were 60-90 KPH from the SSE
2180 meters      -1.5, Winds were 65-80 KPH from the ?
1860 meters      -0.6, Winds were 25-50 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters          0, Winds were 20-50 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters        +1, 8 cm of new snow,  Base 68 cm
1550 meters        +1, 6 cm of new snow, Base 40 cm Relative Humidity 100%

  660 meters        +3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +8.5, 42 mm of Precip recorded

    As 0f 07:00 Hours we have wet snow, obscured skies, limited visibility; +0.5 at 1835 meters.

For the forecast, the warm front arrived early this morning with more precipitation and high winds for today in a SW flow aloft. A strong cold front will pass through this evening with more precipitation and a lowering freezing level. For this morning into tonight the freezing level will be between 2000 to 1500 meters.  FL could drop to 1500 meters by Thursday morning. Light to moderate snow for Thursday above 1200 meters. Friday is looking unsettled with some snow flurries. High pressure aloft will influence the pattern for Saturday and Sunday with mild temperatures and a freezing level varying from 800 meters to 1400 meters. Guesstimates: 20-30 cm above 1400 meters for Thursday morning, 15-20 cm above 1200 meters for Friday morning.

Luckily we are in the mountains, high tides and storm surges today will be very unwelcome for the coastal population. Record high yesterday in Vancouver. Minimum temperature early this morning at 2240 meters was -4 before the arrival of the warm front. Maximum winds at that elevation over night was 110 KPH. Today is almost a carbon copy of yesterday, less wind and slightly less precipitation.
We can expect 25-30 mm of precip in the valley today.

    Cooler temperatures for today with strong winds.

    Image from yesterday at noon, the front began to exit with strong winds.

         Jet stream was directed in our general area, 172 KPH gust at 2240 meters at 14:20 yesterday.

    Some brief clearing around noon yesterday, Georgia Strait was open briefly.

    Cold front follows the warm front later today.

    Low is still looking South bound for Thursday. Strong winds can be expected on its exit.


ARTICLES:

Chic-Chocs Avalanche Advisory: Avalanche Quebec

Weird Arctic weather causes near-disaster in Northernmost Town: Physics Buzz Blog

The Daily Pow-A snow burial teaches what's important in life: Adventure Journal

Some avalanche information from Montana: GNFCA

Tied to the Mast: The Human Factor

Avalanche awareness tours begin for the season on Blackcomb Today: 12:30 Tours

    A bit of an upside down day. Good day to tune your skis. Skiing was decent on the groomed.

    Patrol dug ditches to take away the pooling water.

    The eye of the storm passed by around 11:45. 122 KPH at 1860 meters. Flag did not do well!!

    Cool light on the bridge over Fitzsimmons Creek. Different colours for an East or West passage.

December 9, 2014

    Rainbow Mountains in Alaska, Recent avalanche fatality, article below!                  Internet Photo

    Still relatively dark at 07:30 Hours yesterday morning, December 8, 2014. Trail lights were on.

    Snowing at 1860 meters yesterday morning.

    Winds were gusting to 70 KPH at the Rendezvous yesterday at 16:00 Hours. It was -1, S1.

   Very wet in the valley on December 8, 2014. +2 at 16:40 Hours.



Weather observations for December 9, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters      -0.6, Winds were 100-150 KPH from the SSE
2180 meters          0, Winds were 50-100 KPH from the WSW
1860 meters        +1, Winds were 45-85 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters        +2, Winds were 40-70 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters        +2, 9 cm of new snow,  Base 64 cm
1550 meters        +3, 4 cm at 07:00 hours Relative Humidity 100% Base 38 cm

  660 meters        +2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +3.9, 9.1mm of Precip recorded before midnight

Early this am we have had winds of 80-100 KPH at 2240 meters with maximum gusts up to 150 KPH. At 1860 meters the winds have been 30-60 KPH with maximum gusts up to 85 KPH. 

   As of 06:30 Hours we have wet snow, limited visibility and obscured skies.

For the forecast, the first of two vigorous fronts is passing through our zone this morning in a SW Flow aloft. The freezing level has hovered around 2000 meters and should slowly decrease to 1700 meters later today as the air mass dries out. A second warm front will pass through this evening into Wednesday.  Freezing levels will continue to drop and hover around 1500 meters for Wednesday. Models are now suggesting a cooler frontal band for Thursday afternoon as well. Unsettled conditions should prevail for Friday into Saturday with freezing levels dropping to 800-1000 meters. Not making a guesstimate for today,  looks like we will receive between 20-40 mm of water. Snow, up to 15-20 cm above 1500 meters for later this afternoon into Wednesday morning.

   Satellite image from yesterday morning.

    California seems to be getting some moisture.

    We are certainly on the up hill side of the major precipitation heading South.

    Precipitation amounts for Today.

    Low continues down the coast for tomorrow. Continuous heavy precip.

    Low moves South on Thursday with less precipitation.

    Position of the low for Wednesday. Thinking 10-15 cm of snow above 1400 meters by Thursday.





ARTICLES:

Avalanche Fatality-Rainbow Mountains Alaska: Alaska Dispatch News

Looking at El Nino's past to predict the future: Science Daily

Avalanche School: Alaska

Ski Touring in Rogers Pass: You need permits

Avalanche Center's director offers cautionary advice: Wallowa Avalanche Center, Oregon

The Mountain Information Network and You: Avalanche Canada Blog

    Caked snowmobiles yesterday afternoon.

     Picture from last year Dec 9, 2013, -7 in the valley. Alta lake had frozen over night.

December 8, 2014

    High cirrus clouds but for the most part a nice day Sunday.  Image taken Sunday morning.

    A snowboard track left over after the warm temperatures at the bottom of the mountain.

    The cooler temperatures yesterday made for a very firm surface, race skis would have been nice!!

    Track packing in the alpine.




Weather observations for December 8, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters      -2, Winds were 55-75 KPH from the SSE
2180 meters      -1, Winds were 50-60 KPH from the SSE
1860 meters   -0.5, Winds were 25-40 KPH from the E
1835 meters       0, Winds were 20-40 KPH from the SSE
1650 meters      +1, 1 cm of new snow,  Base 53 cm
1550 meters      +1, Relative Humidity 99%

  660 meters      +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +3.7, trace of Precip recorded

    As of 07:00 Hours we have light snow, obscured skies and limited visibility.


For the forecast, the weakening front from early this morning will bring light snow  to the alpine this morning into this afternoon with a freezing level hovering between 1800-2000 meters. A strong front in a S\SW flow will bring heavy precipitation to the area this evening, with 20-30 cm of snow above 1900 meters by tomorrow morning. Tuesday is looking like the FL will drop to around 1600 meters later in the day with snow accumulations above 1500 meters of 20-30 cm. Wednesday will also see more precip and a similar FL. Thursday and Friday will likely see cloudy skies, snow flurries and freezing levels dropping to 1200 meters. A drying trend is expected by next weekend.

    This morning.

    Plume of moisture on its way for this evening, temps look like they are going to be mid mountain. 

    Series of strong fronts until Thursday. 

ARTICLES:

California's Drought is the worst in 1,200 years, evidence suggests: Science Daily

Troopers says skier dead in Alaska Avalanche: Alaska

With the short days a headlamp becomes an essential part of the gear list: Headlamp Review

Heavy snow fall kills 7 in Japan: News Wala

    A lone track down Feather Tree. December 7, 2014.

    The alpine is getting lots of compaction from many users.

    Still many people heading out of the temporary boundary.

    New covered magic carpet on Whistler is coming together.