December 18, 2014

    Early morning December 17, 2014.

    Began to snow yesterday at 10:30 hours. 1 cm accumulation by 14:30 Hrs. + 2 cm overnight.

    End of the day over the Base of Blackcomb Mountain. December 17, 2014.

                              Avalanche Canada Fund Raiser, come out for a good cause!!



Weather observations for December 18, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters        -6, Winds were 20-30 KPH from the SSE
2180 meters        -5, Winds were 10-20 KPH from E
1860 meters        -5, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters        -3, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters        -2, 2 cm of new snow, 3 cm in 24 hrs, Base 92 cm
1550 meters        -2, 2 cm of new snow, Base 63 cm Relative Humidity 99%

  660 meters         0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +0.7.

    As of 07:00 hrs we have overcast skies and unlimited visibility at 1860 meters. 


For the forecast, a weak front is moving through our area. Cloudy conditions with a relatively dry air mass for this morning, light snow for later in the afternoon. This evening a strong pacific cold front will reach the area with heavy snow fall to 800 meters. Freezing levels will be hovering around 1200 meters. Precipitation amounts will ease on Friday with mostly cloudy skies and some light snowfall above 800 meters. A warm front is heading our way for Saturday, most of the precipitation will be South of our zone with Freezing levels rising to about 1700 meters by late Saturday night. Sunday will also be cloudy with light snow above 1500 meters. As of now Monday is looking cloudy, Tuesday is unsettled with a mix of sun and cloud as a weak high pressure temporally builds. Cooler and showery weather is in the forecast for the middle of next week.  Guesstimates: 12-16 cm of new by Friday morning, 10-12 cm by Saturday morning, 10-15 cm by Sunday morning. 

    Various Fronts in the Pacific from yesterday.

    Yesterday at 15:00 Hours. Very light snowfall.

   Certainly some moisture on its way!!

    Nice wave heading our way Thursday night.

    Cold front will pass through the zone this evening.

    Friday is looking good as well.

ARTICLES: 

Land of Thundering Snow; Avalanche Exhibit: Revelstoke Museum

The Beautiful World of Avalanche Control: Kim Kirtcher Blog

Beware and Report Avalanches: CraigandCanyon

 Here is a review on my favourite Jacket: Arc'teryx Alpha SV Jacket

Mountain Adventures Whistler and Pemberton: She Shreds

                      Bekka, the Frosty Avalanche Dog                           Yvonne Thorton Photo

    We are doing well compared to Niseko, Japan.Snow stake as of Dec 17, 2014. Peter McGuckin

    Multi cloud layers on Wednesday.

   The visibility was challenging at times yesterday.

December 17, 2014

    More snow making in the valley yesterday morning until it warmed up.

    Visibility in the alpine yesterday had its challenges at times.

   The ribbon of snow in the centre of the picture right to the Town Centre.

    Dusk, 16:10 on December 16, 2014.




Weather observations for December 17, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters        -6, Winds were 20-30 KPH from the ESE
2180 meters        -5, Winds were 30-45 KPH from?
1860 meters        -4, Winds were 10-20 KPH from the E
1835 meters        -2, Winds were 115-35 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters        -2, 4 cm of new snow,  Base 92 cm
1550 meters        -2, 3 cm of new snow, Base 62 cm Relative Humidity 96%

  660 meters        -2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest -0.2, Trace of Precip recorded  Yest 

    As of 07:00 Hours this am we have high overcast skies and unlimited visibility. Fresh snow!!


For the forecast, today will be mostly cloudy as a moist air mass with very light snowfall moves through the zone this afternoon into this evening. (A negative tilted upper trough with a Southwest split flow)  Thursday will be similar with cloudy conditions and some very light snow flurries prior to the arrival of a cold front on Thursday evening into Friday, with freezing levels fluctuating from 1000-1200 meters. . A warm front is still forecasted for later on Saturday but as of now the FL seems to peak at  around 1600 meters, early Sunday morning. A cold front will follow the warm front. More on that tomorrow. Guesstimates: 3-5 cm by Thursday morning, 10-12 cm by Friday morning, 6-10 cm by Saturday morning, 15-20 cm by Sunday morning. 

   Some moisture in the relatively dry air mass yesterday.

    Satellite image from 13:00 Hrs yesterday.

    Initial wave of precipitation could be good on Thursday evening. 

    Strong warm front approaching for Saturday/Sunday, FL looks to be at favourable values.



ARTICLES: 

Detailed look at Greenland's Vanishing Ice.: Science Daily

Manual Snow and weather observations: Avalanche.org

Ski Area owner sentenced over Permitting Violation: Colorado

Lucky skier survives a 700 meter avalanche using his airbag: Bern, Switzerland

                         Come out and support this event for the Avalanche Canada Foundation.

    There were some breaks yesterday.

    The White lines to the Valley on both Mountains!! Snow making is doing an awesome job!!

    Lots of Christmas Lights in Town.

    Dark by 16:30 Hours December 16, 2014.

 

December 16, 2014

    Avalanche in Italy claims two climbers, story in articles below.                                            Net Pic

    Weak front began to move in early on December 15, 2014.

    Skin track up lower Disease Ridge, another awesome morning.

    Clouds became thicker as the morning progressed.

    Last sunlight to the North at days end Monday afternoon.


Weather observations for December 16, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters        -5, Winds were 25-40 KPH from the ESE
2180 meters        -5, Winds were 35-50 KPH from ?
1860 meters        -4, Winds were 0-5 KPH from the S
1835 meters        -2, Winds were 15-30 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters        -2, Trace of new snow, Base 91 cm
1550 meters        -2, Trace of new snow, Base 61 cm Relative Humidity 93%

  660 meters        -1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest -0.1

   As of 07:00 Hours we have high overcast skies, unlimited visibility and very light snow.


For the Forecast, a very weak front in a Southerly split flow continues to push cloud into the area for today with snow flurries and a FL hovering around 1100 meters as the day progresses. Another weak system will push through on Wednesday, followed by unsettled conditions for Thursday morning\afternoon.  A cold front in a Southwesterly flow is forecasted to reach our area by Thursday night into Friday. Strong winds and precipitation are in the cards for Friday. Saturday could see a stronger front with more snow by Sunday morning at higher elevations. A warm front is expected for Sunday with a sharp rise in the FL. More on that as we get closer. Looking way into the future we could be in a dry colder pattern with a NW flow for Xmas.   Guesstimates: 1-3 cm for today, 1-3 cm on Wednesday, 15-18 cm for Friday morning.

    Satelite image from yesterday afternoon.

    Clouds for today with isolated snow flurries.

    Looks like we will receive some light snow above 1000 meters on Wednesday.

    Low pressure will spin some moisture at us on Thursday. 

   Warm front for Sunday, Fl could go higher than the local peaks for a brief period of time.


ARTICLES:

Two Climbers killed in Italian Avalanche: South Central Italy

Avalanche Awareness instruction to be Offered: Durango Co.

Snow totals far below normal in Washington State: Associated Press

How to callout backcountry Idiots, without making then feel like Idiots: Biglines

Friends, Family mourn avalanche victim: Alaska Public Media

    Col between Decker and NE Ridge of Disease Ridge                                         Jamie May Image

                      Debris below Upper Disease Ridge.                                Jamie May Image

    Surface Hoar continues to grow in protected areas just below tree line.

    Debris flow from a slide in Lakeside from last Wednesday\Thursday.

    There were some great clouds around yesterday.

    The Alpine has been wind affected.

   By the middle of the afternoon it was definitely cloudy. December 15, 2014.

December 15, 2014

    Pink sky at sunrise, 8:04 Sunday morning. Very thin cirrus layer.

    Nice to see some snow making in the valley while it lasted.

    Amazing how much water was in the snowpack at 1830 meters.

    A breach just below Air Jordan. Wet snow\water trough.

    Slab avalanche to ground in the Gun Barrels. That would be a nasty ride!! Water\crust?

    Slide on Gun Barrel West                                                                                  Hiro Okazaki Image

                                                                                                           Hiro Okazaki Image



Some intel submitted by Hiro:
Failure plane was the layer of 2-3mm of well rounded wet grains and water which was sandwiched between two impermeable ice layer. 
As you know that Gun barrel west is a perfect terrain feature to collect precip (this case is free water) which has a funnel-shaped start zone and gully-shaped track and runout zone.

This event possibly happened during the cooling period during the clear night because of the way of deposit of  surface hoar formed overnight.  
It is possible to be Vr 10m or even delayed release of human trigger. 
I am still looking for the piece of this spooky puzzle.  

   A little cloudier later in the day.


Weather observations for December 15, 2014, taken at 06:00 Hours this am.

2240 meters      -7, Winds were 35-50 KPH from the ESE
2180 meters      -5, Winds were 35-45 KPH from the ?
1860 meters      -2, Winds were 5-15 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters      -1, Winds were 20-35 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters      -8, No new snow,  Base 96 cm
1550 meters      -6, Relative Humidity 76%

  660 meters      -2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yest +1.2

For the Forecast, high pressure is holding off the cloud along the Vancouver Island Coast. Eventually we will see some cloud spill into our area from the off shore flow. Unsettled conditions into Wednesday with a shift on Thursday. A few isolated flurries are possible Tuesday and Wednesday, but looks like a mix of sun and cloud. Several frontal waves will arrive later in the week for snow and cooler temperatures from Thursday into Saturday. Freezing levels will hover around 1000-1200 meters for the next few days.

    High pressure holding off the moisture along the coast.

    Tuesday is looking unsettled with some cloud spilling into our zone.

    We will get some weather on Thursday.



ARTICLES:


Skier Triggered slide in Lake Tahoe: California Sliding

Snowmobiling accident serves as a reminder to Backcountry Enthusiasts: Pique

Poll on Transceiver, Shovel and Probe Use: Snow & Mud.com

Stevens Pas Ski Patrol Resource: Weather\Avalanche Blog


               

    Some excellent snow on Upper Olympic yesterday.

    Another awesome day.

    Surface Hoar became larger where it was protected.

    Early season lines appear to work for the most part.

    Cirrus cloud present for most of the day, but plenty of sunshine.

    Jersey Cream Chair.