August 21, 2015

    Tuesday August 18, 2015--Bluebird in the afternoon.

    Satellite image from 07:30 hours Tuesday morning.

    Wednesday August 19, 2015--another awesome day in the mountains.

    Satellite image early Wednesday morning.

    Thursday, image from same time as image below.

    Thursday morning, August 20 Th at 10:30 am.

    Looking Northwest Thursday afternoon.


Weather Observations for August 21, 2015: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters       +3, Winds were 10-15 KPH from the WNW
1835 meters       +5, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the W
1650 meters       +5, Relative Humidity 95%

  660 meters      +11, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +23. Trace of precip recorded at 660M

   As of 07:00 Hours this am we have mostly cloudy skies and unlimited visibility.

    Satellite image from Friday morning. Should be mostly sunny later this morning.

For the forecast, a weak shortwave upper trough will move through our zone today in an upper level Northwest flow with mostly cloudy skies this morning and sunny breaks later in the day. A weak upper level ridge will move in on Saturday with a weak offshore flow and warmer temperatures. The ridge will shift inland on Sunday with low level onshore flow bringing slightly cooler temperatures along the coast. An upper trough will be over the Eastern Pacific most of next week with Southwest flow aloft  and low level onshore flow bringing mostly sunny skies into Tuesday. Unsettled conditions may return on Wednesday but more on that in Mondays post.

    A mix of sun and cloud today.

    Northwest flow aloft for today.

    Ridge builds in again for Saturday with warmer temperatures.

    High pressure Saturday with some onshore flow.

    Looks sunny from Monday into Tuesday, clouds moving in Tuesday evening.



Video Friday's:

Winning run at Whistler Joyride 2015: Brandon Semenuk

New world record cliff jump: Redbull

Backflip into the Powder: Treble Cone, New Zealand

Microburst (rainbomb): Arizona



Articles:

Harnessing the Butterfly effect: Science Daily

Tantalus Range Conditions: ACMG Report

How to practise your avalanche transceiver skills: Transworld Snowboarding

Farmers almanac predicts a brutal winter--frigid temperatures and lots of snow: Concord, NH

El Nino unlikely to solve California Draught: 50\50 Chance

July 2015 was the hottest month on modern record: CBC News

Bruce Temper announces his retirement as director of the UAC: But is he really retiring?

    No smoke in the Meager Mountain area Monday August 17 Th.

    Dusk Tuesday night at 1835 meters.

    Powder Mountain, Wednesday August 19, 2015.

    Shale Slope on Whistler Mountain. Wednesday August 19 Th.

    Clouds moved in Thursday morning.

    Cool clouds Thursday afternoon August 20, 2015.

    Young Black bear enjoying some berries.

    Female grouse and 1 of 4 poults well above the tree line on Whistler Mountain.

August 17, 2015

    Saturday August 15, 2015--Had that moist look in the morning.

    Satellite image from the same time frame as above picture.

    Sunday August 16, 2015--Stratus layer over the valley, eventually dissipated with broken cloud.

    Satellite image shows stratus layer Sunday morning.

    Sunday evening.


Weather Observations for August 17, 2015: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters      +7, Winds were 15-25 KPH from the S
1835 meters      +8, Winds were 5-10 KPH from the E
1650 meters      +8, Relative Humidity 95%

  660 meters      +9, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +23.

9.4 mm of rain was recorded Friday and Saturday at 660 meters.

    As of 06:04 hours the sun was rising with clear skies and unlimited visibility.

    Looking like a sunny day.


For the forecast the high pressure will strengthen over the next couple of days bringing warm temperatures and sunny skies. Cooler air from onshore surface flow will bring slightly cooler temperatures to the area from Wednesday into next weekend. The European model has an upper level trough moving into our zone for Friday with some showers. The North American model is forecasting sunny weather into next weekend. More on that in Friday's post. Enjoy the awesome summer weather!!

    High pressure in the Eastern Pacific will bring nice weather into at least Friday.

    High pressure strengthens tomorrow with warm temperatures in the area.


ARTICLES:

Study shows how climate change threatens health: Science Daily

Can human judgement handle avalanches: Kate Siber

Jet Force avalanche Airbag recall: Pistehors.com

Taos Ski Patrol ill vote on forming a union: New Mexico

    Cloudy on Saturday.

    Rainbow early Saturday evening after the downpour.

    Awesome day for the Slow Food Ride in Pemberton Sunday.

     Bee Keepers -- Pemberton, B.C.

August 14, 2015

   An avalanche in the Hector Mtns of New Zealand has claimed a heli-skier-story below. Net Pic

    Tuesday August 11, 2015--Smoke and Haze to the North early in the am.

    Satellite image from Tuesday morning.

    Just before sunset on Tuesday evening, very little firn snow left in Blackcomb Bowl.

    Wednesday August 12, 2015--It was +18 by 09:00 Hours at 2200 meters.

    Big picture Wednesday morning.

    Thursday August 13, 2015--Slightly better visibility than Wednesday.

    Satellite image from Thursday morning.


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

2180 meters      +11, Winds were 15-20 KPH from the S
1835 meters      +14, Winds were 10-20 KPH from the SSE
1650 meters      +13, Relative Humidity 74%

  660 meters      +13, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +30.6, trace of rain recorded yest.

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

    Satellite image from this am at 07:15 Hours.

For the forecast, the low pressure is slowly working its way up the coast with an increase in the cloud cover. Showers and lightning are being reported South of the US boarder as the moist unstable airmass in a Southerly flow just off the northern California coast approaches at about 30-50 KPH. The low will remain for Saturday with showers expected in our zone as well as cooler temperatures. A ridge of high pressure will move in from the Eastern Pacific on Sunday for dry and warm conditions into next week.

    Low will move Northeastward today and is a moist unstable airmass.

    High pressure in the Eastern Pacific will move back into our zone by Sunday.




Video Fridays:

Special wrapping used to prevent glacier melt: Switzerland

When everything goes the wrong way: Bicycle Race in Utah

Who needs a helicopter: Bush Plane STOL

Summer Avalanche down the Plain of Six Glaciers: Lake Louise, Alberta

Free Solo Slackline Record: Squamish, B.C.



Articles:

Heli-skier dies in an avalanche near Queenstown: New Zealand

Update on New Zealand Avalanche: Latest article and video

Avalanche expert plans survey of Himalayas in the fall: Japan

Solar Powered avalanche resistant home for Himalayan trekkers: Architecture Competition

Ortovox recalls S1+ (again): Earn Your Turns

    Sunset Tuesday evening.

    Smoke and haze looking towards Pemberton from 1835 meters on Whistler Mtn Wednesday.

    Rockfall in Glacier Cirque on Whistler will certainly speed up the melting process of the firn snow.

    Black Tusk Thursday morning.

    Overlord Glacier Thursday morning.

    Round House on Whistler Thursday August 13, 2015.

    Up close and personal with a marmot on Whistler Mountain.

    Young deer in the Bike Park.