November 28, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Cornice debris from cycle on Sunday morning.

Recent Avalanche MIN Report: Whistler Slackcountry-Nov 26


    YESTERDAY:

    There were some brief breaks in the morning.

    A few periods of light flurries during the day. 1 cm recorded at 1660M, a trace at 1550 M.

    Mostly overcast for a majority of the day.

    Valley cloud moved in as the day progressed as well.


Weather Observations for November 28, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters    -7, Winds were 50-100 KPH S --Whistler Peak
1835 meters    -5, Winds were 25-60 KPH SE --Roundhouse
1660 meters    -3, 6 cm of new, 7 cm in 24 hrs  Base 132 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters   +2, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +3.3, 0.0 mm of precip recorded

Maximum gust at 2240 meters this am was 140 KPH.

   As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have obscured skies, limited visibility and it is snowing.

FORECAST:

A vigorous cold front will bring moderate snowfall to the area this am in a Southwest flow aloft.
Precipitation will ease off this afternoon with light snow and the freezing level descending from 1000 meters to surface by this evening. Wednesday will be overcast with some very light snowfall as a weaker front pushes through with a FL hovering in the 1000 meter range. More precipitation is expected Wednesday night into Thursday with a slightly higher FL of 1200 meters. As of now there is a short lived drying trend early Friday before a series of more active frontal bands push through Friday and Saturday with seasonable freezing levels.  Long range there is some discrepancy in the models with the GFS & NAM forecasting a moist Northwesterly flow, while the European model being drier in a Northerly flow with some Arctic influence by Sunday.
Guesstimates: 10-15 by Wednesday morning, 8-12 cm by Thursday morning, 12-18 cm by Friday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am.

    500MB GFS image for this am.

    Front will ease by this afternoon with light snowfall.

    Weak frontal band for Wednesday.

    Another vigorous front for Friday night into Saturday.


OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Debris from Sunday morning event still visible.

    Area where the crust is exposed on North aspects at 1800 meters.

     Crust is supportive in some areas and breakable in others. Many areas where it is still exposed!

    Recent snow profile.

    Fine image of Monday afternoon.

    Front moving onshore Monday afternoon.

    Big picture Monday.

    Always interesting to see where the snowline lies.



ARTICLES:

Climbers caught by two avalanches on Aonach Mor: Scotland

Caught in an Avalanche-Jeremy Jones reflects on his experience: Snowboarding Transworld

Avalanche Airbag Practise Rig: Wildsnow.com

Snowfall warning for Whistler: Environment Canada

November 27, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Natural cycle yesterday morning up to Sz 2.5 in alpine terrain. There were some cornice drops.



    YESTERDAY:

    Warm wet and windy early Sunday morning.

    There were a few breaks as the warm front exited.

    Cold front pushed in at around 10:00 Hrs. Temperatures dropped quickly in the alpine.

    Snow accumulated into the afternoon. 2 cm of new at 1550 m by 14:00 hrs, 4 cm at 1660 m.

    Breaks later in the afternoon with cool temps, -6 at 1860 meters by 16:30 Hrs.

    Mount Currie in some nice light Sunday at 16:00 hrs.

    Some colour just before sunset.



Weather Observations for November 27, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters    -9, Winds were 35-50 KPH SSW --Whistler Peak
1835 meters    -7, Winds were 20-40 KPH SSW --Roundhouse
1660 meters    -5, 1 cm of new, 5 cm in 24 hrs  Base 128 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters   +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +8.0, 23.0 mm of precip recorded

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

FORECAST:

A weak upper level trough will bring mostly overcast skies to the area today in a Westerly flow aloft.
There is some ridging expected South of our zone so we might see some breaks. Intermittent scattered flurries are also possible with the FL hovering in the 800 meter range. There is an impulse of precip expected tonight into Tuesday morning with moderate snow amounts. It appears that the next few frontal bands will be drier than forecasted for on Sunday. Guesstimates: 8-12 cm by Tuesday morning, 15-20 cm by Wednesday morning, 5-10 cm by Thursday morning.

   GOES IR image this am, drier than most of the models were forecasting.

     An upper level trough will bring mostly cloudy conditions in a Westerly flow aloft for Monday.

    Impulse of precip early Tuesday morning.

    Cooler temperatures for Tuesday.


OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Moist snow for first turns Sunday morning.

   Variable weather conditions during the day, from 0 at 2240 meters at 07:00 hrs to -8 at 16:00 Hrs.

    New snow did improve the skiing.

    Sunday afternoon. Breaks on the way.

    Big picture Sunday. Looks like a drying trend.

    Cold enough Sunday afternoon for snow guns to turn on.


ARTICLES:

Early Season Snowpack: Southern Whitefish Range

Anchorage Ski Community mourns man killed in Hatcher Pass Avalanche: Alaska

The Fall so Far: Cliff Mass Weather Blog

November 26, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Avalanche control yesterday produced some Sz 1 soft slabs from Xe (explosives) and Sc (ski cut)


    YESTERDAY:

    Mostly overcast all day with some very light snowfall in the mix.

    Fog from 1550 meters to about 1000 meters for most of the day.

    There was a brief break in the cloud Saturday afternoon.

    Snowing lightly at 1200 meters Saturday afternoon.

    Raining, no snow in the trees here!!


Weather Observations for November 26, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters    0, Winds were 40-95 KPH S   --Whistler Peak
1835 meters    0, Winds were 25-75 KPH SE --Roundhouse
1660 meters  +3, 8 cm of new, 9 cm in 24 hrs  Base 130 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters  +1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +5.1, 8.7 mm of precip recorded

Maximum gust early this am was 117 KPH at 2180 meters. 28 mm recorded at Pig Alley since 16:00 hrs yesterday afternoon.

FORECAST:

A warm front in a Southwesterly to Westerly flow aloft will pass through this am with a cold front following in its wake. The freezing level should slowly come back down to around 800 meters by this evening. The precipitation should ease off Monday morning with a Gray day, another frontal band is expected Monday night into Tuesday with seasonable temperatures and moderate snowfall. The FL should hover in the 800 meter range with snow back down to the valley. A very weak and brief high pressure will bring unsettled weather to the area on Wednesday. By Wednesday night a series of cooler fronts will push through into Friday. Guesstimates: 10-15 cm by Monday morning, 15-25 cm by Tuesday morning, 15-20 cm by Tuesday morning.

    Its an overcast and wet day.

    GOES IR image from this am.

     Warm Southerly flow for Today.

    Cooler Westerly flow for Monday.


    OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Dust on crust Saturday am.

    Most people were making the best of it, actually much nicer conditions than Friday.

    Saturday afternoon.

    Fairly large low and cloud cover Saturday.

    Blackcomb Glacier Saturday morning.                                                       Lucinda Sutherland Pic


ARTICLES:

Avalanche safety--Warning Signs: Wyoming

Dangerous Avalanche Conditions in Hatcher pass after Wednesday Slide: Alaska

'No criminal offence considered proven' in deadly 2015 avalanche: Iceland

November 25, 2017

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Not much to report locally, soft wind slabs forming in lee terrain with strong SW winds.


    YESTERDAY:

    Overcast, very light snow for most of the day above 1000 meters..

    Nice to see some snow accumulating in the trees again.

    A few centimeters by days end.


Weather Observations for November 25, 2017 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters    -4, Winds were 35-65 KPH S      --Whistler Peak
1835 meters    -2, Winds were 10-35 KPH SE    --Roundhouse
1660 meters    -1, 12 cm of new, 14 cm in 24 hrs  Base 129 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters   +3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +4.3, 1.0 mm of precip recorded

FORECAST:

A very weak warm front will move through today, strengthening by this evening in a  Southwest-Southerly flow aloft. Lull in the precipitation today but a cold front tonight will bring strong winds and moderate snowfall above 1000 meters.  The freezing level will hover in the 1500 meter range with the brunt of the precipitation occuring tonight and continuing into Sunday. The Fl will spike on Sunday morning (1800 M) but drop back down to near surface by the evening as a trailing cold front pushes through. Monday is looking promising with light snow during the day and an impulse Monday night with seasonable temperatures hovering in the 800 meter range.
Guesstimates: 20-30 cm by Sunday morning, 20-25 cm by Monday morning, 20-30 cm by Tuesday
am.

    GOES IR image for this am.

    Low bringing warm SW flow into the South Coast.

    Low will bring a warm and cold front for Sunday.

    Another impulse ot precipitation on Monday night.

OBSERVATIONS & INFORMATION:

    Green in the valley.

    New safety signs in the Village Gondola.

    Around noon on Friday.

    Big picture Friday.

    At Pig Alley by 14:00 hrs on Friday it was -1, 2 cm of new snow and a base of 118 cm.

    Brewhouse Sunday--Click here for details



ARTICLES:

Avalanche Death: Craig Medred

After the Rain: Avalanche Canada

Temperature Records on Wednesday. Why?: Cliff Mass Weather Blog

Mowich Creek Mudslide: I Survived the Hurley

Ski Resorts suspend operations due to warm weather: Utah