April 15, 2015

    Mid Mountain cloud early Tuesday April 14, 2015.

    Another great day on the hill.

    Avalanche control produced some size 1 soft slabs.

    Some people were saying it was the best day of the year, others said best day of the season.

    Clouds did begin to lift and convective clouds began to form in the afternoon.

    Large convective clouds eventually dropped grauple in the valley.

    Tuesday, isolated showers in the afternoon.

    Just before sunset Tuesday evening which was officially at 20:03 Hours.


Weather Observations for April 15, 2015; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -7, Winds were 25-30 KPH from the SSE
2180 meters      -7, Winds were 30-35 KPH from the SW
1860 meters      -7, Winds were 10-20 KPH from the E
1835 meters      -6, Winds were 10-20 KPH from the SW
1650 meters      -5, No new snow, Base 205 cm.
1550 meters      -4, No new snow, Base 148 cm, Relative Humidity 86%. 

  660 meters      -1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +9.0, 0.2 mm recorded there on Tuesday.

    As of 07:00 Hours we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility.

For the forecast, a ridge of high pressure to our South will weaken enough today to allow cloud to move into the zone from the low to our Northwest in a Northwesterly flow. Today will be mostly cloudy with the ridge strengthening this evening with unsettled weather expected for the remainder of the week. The air mass will be moist so there is a chance of some precipitation for today. Convective cloud development on Thursday may see some isolated showers as well, and there is a good chance of some convective shower activity on Friday.The ridge builds Saturday for warm, dry, sunny weather into mid next week. The freezing level today will rise to 1600 meters dropping to 1300 meters this evening. The rest of the week will see the FL continually rising with FL well above the local peaks into next week maxing out at 3000 meters by Monday. Guesstimates: Trace to 1 cm by Thursday morning in the alpine, Trace to 1 cm in the alpine by Saturday morning.

    Looks to be a mostly cloudy day.

    Unsettled for Thursday.

    Drying out by Friday night.

    High pressure for Saturday.

    Sunny and warm for Sunday.

    Sunny and warmer for Monday.


ARTICLES:

Assessment shows building in Avalanche Path: Jumbo Glacier Resort

Recognising Avalanche Terrain: Gallatin Avalanche Center

Avalanche Awareness and Women: Snow Bunny Magazine

Mountain Weather Forecast: Avalanche Canada


Thanks to Toby Salin for this intel from yesterday on Rainbow Mountain:

Snowboarder triggered class 2ish from this afternoon. NE facing on latest crust layer. Did not step down. Buddy went for a ride but no injury or burial. Self extracted.

                                                                                                                           Toby Salin Photo

More intel from Nicole Koshure from yesterday: Slide triggered yesterday lookers right of wind lip below Don't Swill. 50-60 cm crown. About 20 meters wide

                                                                                                                           Nicole Koshure Photo

    The snow was dry and cold.

    Avalanche control results above the Horstman Glacier.

    Lots of ski tourers out and about yesterday.

    Boarding into his sluff.

    There were tracks every where yesterday morning.

April 14, 2015

    Austrian Skier survives 10 hour burial, story in article section.                                              Net Pic

    By 07:30 Hours on Monday April 13, 2015 the visibility had improved. -4, 20-35 KPH wind SE.

    Seventh Heaven early Monday morning.

    View from the valley Monday am.

     Snow line at 1000 meters yesterday morning.

    Snowing at 12:30 Hours, -3, 20-45 KPH winds from the ESE.

    Snowing lightly at 17:30 Hours, -3.5, 20-35 KPH wind from the S.

    This morning at 05:45.

Weather Observations for April 14, 2015; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -5, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the SW
2180 meters      -8, Winds were 10-25 KPH from the WNW
1860 meters      -8, Winds were 0-5 KPH from the S
1835 meters      -7, Winds were 10-15 KPH from the WSW
1650 meters      -6, 6 cm of new snow, 13 cm in 24 hours, Base 206 cm
1550 meters      -5, 4 cm of new snow, 9 cm in 24 hours, Base 151 cm, Relative Humidity 95%. 

  660 meters       0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +4.1, 3.2 mm recorded there on Monday.

   As of 07:00 hours we have broken cloud and unlimited visibility.

Yesterday ski cutting produced numerous size 1 soft slabs with the wind loading.

For the forecast, a drier stable Northwest flow aloft associated with an upper level trough will bring unsettled conditions for today with the freezing level rising to around 1200 meters, then dropping to 900 meters tonight. Wednesday will also be unsettled with more cloud development in the afternoon and the chance of some isolated snow showers in the alpine as a weak warm front moves through. The FL will hover around 1500 meters during the day and drop to 1200 meters in the evening. Thursday will start off with more cloud breaking later in the morning with unsettled conditions but warming with the FL rising to 2000 meters. Flurries are possible in the morning. Another frontal wave moves in for Friday with light precipitation and a rising FL topping out at 2100 meters then dropping by the evening to 1800 meters as a ridge begins to rebuild for the weekend. As of now we are in for a warm sunny weekend with the FL topping out at 3000 meters on Sunday. Guesstimates: Trace-1 cm on Tuesday, Trace -2 cm on Wednesday, Trace-1 cm on Thursday above 1800 meters, 2-4 cm on Friday above 1800 meters.

    Upper trough moving through the area today.

    Unsettled with some clouds for Tuesday.

    Some clearing into the evening.

    More clouds for Wednesday afternoon as a weak warm front moves onshore.

   Warm front will still be in the area with some light precipitation.

   Mostly cloudy Friday morning clearing in the evening.

   High pressure builds on Saturday.

    High pressure for Sunday with elevated freezing level of 3000 meters.

ARTICLES:

Both victims in Swiss avalanche succumb to their injuries: 31 Fatalities this year

Austrian man survives being buried in an avalanche for 10 hours: Gschnitztal Valley

Western Washington Skiers excited about Spring Snow: Stevens Pass

Snow and Avalanches hinder summit push on Annapurna: April 2015

    Image from Monday morning at 08:00 Hours.

    Image yesterday just after noon. (12:15)

    Image from yesterday around 16:45 Hours.

    Big picture later in the afternoon. (16:45) Most of the moisture went South.

    Obscured at times, at 2180 meters yesterday.

    Snow in the trees at 800 meters.

    Snow sticking to the ground yesterday at 780 meters, 0 Degrees.

April 13, 2015

    Several avalanche incidents in the Alps over the weekend, stories in Article section.        Net Pic

    Some breaks early Sunday, April 12, 2015.

    There was some cool light earlier in the day.

    Clouds rolled into the area fairly quickly yesterday morning.

    Some brief sunny periods yesterday morning.

    Demo days on Sunday.

    Flurries in the afternoon.

    Above 1200 meters was obscured by days end.

Weather Observations for April 13, 2015; taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -7, Winds were 45-65 KPH from the SE
2180 meters      -6, Winds were 30-40 KPH from the S
1860 meters      -6, Winds were 15-30 KPH from the ESE
1835 meters      -4, Winds were 20-30 KPH from the ESE
1650 meters      -3, 3 cm of new snow, Base 200 cm
1550 meters      -3, 2 cm of new snow,  Base 146 cm, Relative Humidity 98%. 

  660 meters     +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +6.4, Trace recorded there on Sunday.

    As of 07:00 Hours we have overcast skies, variable visibility and it is snowing lightly.

For the forecast, leading edge of the front has brought light precipitation to the area early this morning, in a Southwest flow aloft. A strong cold front emanating from a deepening low will bring moderate precipitation to the area this afternoon into this evening in a Westerly flow aloft. The freezing level will hover round 1200 meters, dropping to surface this evening then rising to 1200 meters on Tuesday afternoon.  A weak high pressure builds for Tuesday morning with unsettled conditions into Wednesday morning, the weak ridge becomes dirty with an influx of cloud for Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning with some light intermittent showers expected and a FL rising to 2200 meters. The ridge strengthens on Thursday afternoon with drier conditions and warmer temperatures by Friday. At this time we may be in for a warm sunny weekend.  Guesstimates:  16-20 cm by Tuesday morning, Trace to 2 cm by Wednesday morning.

    Cold front will bring strong winds with its passage.

    Flow for today.

    Deepening low will move Southeast fairly quickly.

    Unsettled for Tuesday.

    Unsettled Wednesday morning with some cloud spilling into the zone in the afternoon.

    Dries out again Thursday evening.


ARTICLES:

CERN ski club members injured in an avalanche: Switzerland

One dead, one rescued after avalanche in Tyrol: Austria

Avalanche Fatality in Rohtang: India

"Sidecountry" Rated R: Doug Chabot

Information on Montana Avalanche Fatality: Gallatin Avalanche Center

    Looking up into Horstman Glacier Sunday am.

    Satellite image from 10:00 Hours yesterday.

    Whistler yesterday morning.

    Barred Owl yesterday morning.