April 24, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Yesterday avalanche control produced Sz 1-2 soft slabs 10-25 cm Sc Xe.

    Large cornice debris in most of the bowls.

    Just enough angle and weight to create a fracture, with slab remaining in tact.


YESTERDAY:

    Early Sunday morning April 23, 2017. Snowline was down to 1300 meters.

    Snow was clumpy at 1800 meters.

    Snowing in the am.

    Sunday morning.

    Big picture Sunday morning.

    Top of the Peak Chair.

    Cowboy in the Saddle.

    Perpetual Human Slalom course.

    Some nice light later in the day.


Weather Observations for April 24, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -5, Winds were   5-15 KPH ESE --Horstman Hut 
1860 meters      -3, Winds were 10-15 KPH ENE --Rendevous
1550 meters      -1, 2 cm of new snow, 2 cm in 24 hrs, 259 cm Base, RH 99%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters     +4, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +11.9, 1.8 mm of Precip recorded yest

Blackcomb will be open from 10:00 Hrs to 17:00 Hours for the remainder of the season!!!

   As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have overcast skies and variable visibility at 2240 meters.

FORECAST:

The upper level low will shift Southeast today bringing unsettled weather in a Northwesterly flow aloft. A very weak ridge will eventually build, but expect overcast skies with some light precipitation early this am. We should see increasing afternoon sunshine with unsettled conditions into Tuesday morning. The Fl is at around 1500 meters and could spike to 2200 meters this afternoon. A frontal band will arrive on the coast for Tuesday with light precipitation and the FL starting around 1800 meters dropping to 1300 meters by Tuesday night. Frontal bands will continue on Wednesday with light precipitation and the FL hovering in the 1500 meter range. As of now Thursday is looking unsettled with a trend toward unsettled weather into next weekend.
Guesstimates: 4-6 cm above 2000 meters by Tuesday morning, 4-6 cm above 1700 meters by Wednesday morning, 8-12 cm at 1600 meters by Thursday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am.

   Low will move Southeast today.

   Cloudy in the morning with breaks in the afternoon.

    Low will shift South bringing unsettled weather to the area later Monday into Tuesday.

   Frontal band will likely arrive for Tuesday.



OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Yesterday was the last day of operations on Whistler Mountain.

   Top of Glacier Express Lift.

    Alta lake is ice free.

    There was some ice on Green lake in the morning.

   Not much ice left at the end of the day.

    Warm temperatures had their way with this snowman.


ARTICLES:

An avalanche injures a hiker in Esja: Iceland

Indian Troops to get up to date avalanche gear: Kashmir

The Spearhead's New Era: Pique

Spring Avalanche Footage: Location unknown at this time

April 23, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

   An avalanche on Fagaras Mtn has killed 2 teenagers in Romania, story in article section. Net Pic

    No new avalanche activity reported from WB yesterday.


   YESTERDAY:

    Early Saturday morning April 22, 2017.

   Quiet morning at the base.

    Saturday morning.

    Front was moving in from the South at noon.

    Snowing in the alpine at 13:00 Hrs.

    Big picture Saturday afternoon.

   Just before sunset on Saturday.


Weather Observations for April 23, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -5, Winds were  10-20 KPH S  --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters      -4, Winds were  25-35 KPH S  --Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -3, Winds were  10-15 KPH SE--Rendevous
1835 meters      -2, Winds were  15-25 KPH S   --Roundhouse
1650 meters      -2, 11 cm of new snow, 11 cm in 24 hrs, 361 cm Base, RH 96%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters      -1,   9 cm of new snow,  9 cm in 24 hrs, 269 cm Base, RH 97%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters     +4, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +11.8, 3.3 mm of Precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am at 1835 meters we have broken cloud and variable visibility.


FORECAST:

A short wave upper trough will push through today in a Southwesterly flow aloft. We can expect showers during the morning with the Fl spiking near the 1800 meter mark. There is a chance of some breaks this afternoon as well. Monday is looking unsettled with the chance of some showers and the FL rising above the 2000 meter range. Tuesday is also looking unsettled at this time with the FL hovering in the 1800 meter range. A weak frontal system arrives Tuesday night into Wednesday with light precipitation and cooler temperatures.
Guesstimates:  4-8 cm by Monday morning above 1700 meters, trace to 2 cm by Tuesday morning above 1800 meters, 2-6 cm by Wednesday morning above 1700 meters, 8-12 cm for Thursday morning above 1600 meters.

    GOES IR image from this am.

    Overcast with some breks later today.

   Unsettled by this afternoon.

    Unsettled for Monday.

   Possibly some showers for Monday.

    Unsettled on Tuesday. Front moving onshore fornWednesday.



   OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

   High cloud in the morning, some breaks to the North.

   Some goats on the Lillooet River Road..

   Rain and socked in on Saturday afternoon.


ARTICLES:

Spring Conditions--All melt, No freeze: Avalanche Canada

Daily Melt Freeze Cycles: Avalanche Canada

SnowPack Analysis: Northwest Avalanche Center

Update on the avalanche that killed two teenagers: Romania

April 22, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Sz 1 Sc yesterday.

    Numerous wet point releases.

    Wet slide on a moraine with a glide crack.

    Fairly large debris.


    YESTERDAY:

    Early Friday morning April 21, 2017.

    Green Lake should be ice free any day now!!

    Looking up towards the Meager Group.

    Some large cornice development.

    Snow in the upper elevations was dry.

    Big Air.

    Friday, Blue Bird afternoon.

    Dry Smoke.


Weather Observations for April 22, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -3, Winds were 10-15  KPH S     --Horstman Hut 
2180 meters      -1, Winds were  20-25 KPH ESE--Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -3, Winds were  10-15 KPH S     --Rendevous
1835 meters     +1, Winds were    5-10 KPH E     --Roundhouse
1650 meters     +1, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 351 cm Base, RH 83%  --Pig Alley
1550 meters     +1, 0 cm of new snow, 0 cm in 24 hrs, 262 cm Base, RH 76%  --Catskinner 

  660 meters     +3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +16.9, 0.0 mm of Precip recorded yest

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

FORECAST:

An upper level low will send clouds our way with a frontal band approaching the coast this afternoon in a Southerly flow aloft. We can expect light rain showers this afternoon with the FL rising to 2200 meters. A cold front will pass through into tonight and the FL should drop to around 1200 meters. A weaker frontal band arrives for Sunday with light showers and the FL hovering in the 1700 meter range. Monday is looking unsettled before an upper level trough sends a series of fronts through the area next week.
Guesstimates: 10-15 cm by Sunday morning above 1600 meters, 2-6 cm by Monday morning above 1600 meters, 0 cm for Tuesday morning, 2-4 cm for Wednesday morning above 1700 meters.

    GOES IR image from this am.

                    Moisture on its way this afternoon.

    Frontal band arriving today.

   Low will send some frontal bands our way later in the day.

                    More moisture for Sunday.

                    Unsettled on Monday.

   OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

   Mount Sampson.

   Sculptured cornices.

    Pinwheeling yesterday.

   Numerous Sz 1 avalanches.

   There were some dry loose avalanches yesterday as well as some wet loose!!


ARTICLES:

Two teens die in an avalanche in the Retezat Mountains: Romania

How I survived an Everest Avalanche: New York Times