Janury 14, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Point release in the Nicola Valley.

   Locally, Sz 1-2 Xe, Sc doing avalanche control. Na Sz 1. Pinwheeling observed ysesteray as well.


    YESTERDAY:

    Saturday morning.

    Thick upper level and lower level cloud.

    A grey day.

    Still cloudy later in the day.

    Early morning light on the Duffy.

    Blue bird over the Nicola Valley.


Weather Observations for January 14, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters     +1, Winds were 20-25 KPH E--Whistler Peak
1835 meters     +5, Winds were   5-10 KPH E--Roundhouse
1660 meters     +1, 0 cm of new, 0 cm in 24 hrs  Base 185 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters       0, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +1.3, 3.8 mm of precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have clear skies and unlimited visibility.

FORECAST:

Upper ridge building today with warm temperatures in a light Southerly flow aloft. The freezing level will top out at around 3500 meters today then very slowly begin to drop. The ridge will migrate Eastward by tomorrow with clouds pushing onto the Coast Monday with unsettled weather for most of the day. A cold front will push through Monday night with some precipitation and the FL dropping to around 1600 meters as the front arrives. A series of frontal bands will bring seasonable temperatures and precipitation to the area  throughout the week. Potential for some real snow Wednesday into Thursday, but more on that as we get closer.
Guesstimates: 0 new by Monday morning, 4-8 cm by Tuesday morning, 8-12 cm by Wednesday morning.

    GOES IR image this am. Looking like an atmospheric river flowing North.

    Warm high pressure. Could see record temperatures for this time of the year.

    Upper ridge for today.

    Fronts along the coast.

    Clouds again for Monday.

    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Earth mounds at the bottom of an avalanche path.

    Not many cars on the Duffy.

    Duffy Lake

    Driving out of the Coast range.

    Not much snow along the Thompson River.

     Serious ice.

    Some nice real estate along the Thompson River.

    Saturday afternoon.

    High pushing all the moisture to the North.



ARTICLES:

Fernie Avalanche Fatality: Powder Canada

Push for avalanche training intensifies after recent area deaths: Montana

Backcountry preparedness and safety tips: E know.ca

January 13, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    An avalanche in Idaho has killed a snowmobiler. Story in article section.                            Net Pic

    No new avalanche activity observed locally yesterday.



    Y ESTERDAY:

    Overcast for much of the day with variable visibilty.

    Snowmaking pumping it out Fridy morning.

    Creeks are very open.

    Snowing at 17:00 hrs.


Weather Observations for January 13, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters     -3, Winds were 25-30 KPH S--Whistler Peak
1835 meters     -1, Winds were 10-25 KPH S--Roundhouse
1660 meters     -1, 7 cm of new, 9 cm in 24 hrs  Base 190 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters     -4, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -5.2, 4.0 mm of precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have overvast skies and unlimited visibility.


FORECAST:

A weak warm front will bring rising freezing levels and light precipitation in a Southwest flow aloft.
The freezing level could spike to 3000+ meters by tonight. Ridging will bring unsettled weather for tonight into Sunday morning. Sunny weather is forecasted for Sunday afternoon with high temperatures expected in the alpine.  Clouds will move into the area Monday morning, with a parade of frontal bands expected Monday afternoon into Friday.
Guesstimates: trace-2 cm by Sunday morning, 0 cm by Monday morning, 8-12 cm by Tuesday morning.

    GOES IR image this am.

    Saturday morning. High to the South will eventually bring warmer tempertures.

    Saturday morning.

    Saturday late in the day.

    Fronts along the coast.

    High for Sunday.

    Sunday afternoon.



    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Ice formations in the creeks.

    2 cm recorded from 06:00 Hrs to 14:00 Hrs at 1650 meters on Friday.

    Pig Alley weather plot Friday afternoon.

      Recent profile with the January and December crusts.

    Inside a Stevenson Screen.

    3 cm by 15:00 Hrs.

    Friday afternoon.

    Most of the moisture went North yesterday.

    Big Picture Friday afternoon.

From South Coast Touring:

Bram Whillock January 12 at 7:05pm

Skiied out to cowboy ridge today with a few friends. Major ping pong ball weather. Snowing s-1 to S1 most of the day. Weird temps... very moist and warm, but snowing all the way to village. Recorded +0.3 at 1500m. Fun skiing though! Creamy coastal pow. Much of the apostles is pretty shralped out!

ARTICLES:

An avalanche has killed a snowmobiler near Reas Peak in the Centennial Range: Idaho

Backcountry skiers warned to avoid Rockies due to severe avalanche warning: CBC News

High Avalanche Hazard issued in : Montana

High Avalanche Hazard and the Fine Art of a Courageous Retreat: Mountain Sledder

Air mass battle gives nasty, messy weather to B.C.: Weather Network

Army blasts through snow during winter: Rogers Pass

Avalanche warnings issued as snow-pack primed for Human Triggering: Avalanche Canada

January 12, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Recent avalanche activity near Squamish, look at MIN report below.                                MIN PIC

    Locally, no new avalanche activity observed.

YESTERDAY:

  Snowed briefly in the morning before the arctic high pushed the low South.

   The low was trying hard in the morning.

    Valley cloud began to lift.

    Clear to the North where the Arctic High was hanging out for most of the day.

   1 cm recorded here in 24 hours, 29 in 7 days. 9 cm recorded at Cypress Mountain, 62 in 7 days.

    Front pushes back at the end of the day. But the high eventually pushed back with clear sky's.

    Just before sunset yesterday.



Weather Observations for January 12, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters     -4, Winds were 30-35 KPH S  --Whistler Peak
1835 meters     -1, Winds were 10-20 KPH SE--Roundhouse
1660 meters     -2, trace of new, 1 cm in 24 hrs  Base 186 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters     -8, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -2.3, 0.0 mm of precip recorded yest

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


FORECAST:

A weak warm front in a Southerly flow for today as a surface low pushes through. The freezing level has the potential to go to 1500 meters today. A building ridge will begin to send warm air our way Saturday with overcast skies, clearing by Saturday night. The freezing level could go as high as 3000 meters by Saturday night.  Sunday is looking warm and sunny with the FL well above the local peaks. A series of seasonable frontal bands will bring snow to the South Coast from Monday into Thursday of next week with the FL fluctuating from a high of 1800 meters to surface. There are some inconsistencies in the models but hopefully we will see some decent snowfall!!
Guesstimates: 3-6 cm by Saturday morning, 1-3 cm by Sunday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am, moisture going North, lets hope we get some snow this am.

    Warm high to the South, Low to the North, Arctic High to the Northeast.

    Warm front pushing through.

    Fronts along the coast.

    High building to the South pushing the low North Saturday.



    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Lots of snow in the trees.

    Overcast yesterday afternoon, stars were out last night for a while.

    Catskinner Weather station at 1550 meters.

    Kokanee Race Series on JC run yesterday.

    Old growth on Blackcomb.

    Thursday afternoon, nice clouds went South.

    Big picture Thursday afternoon.


From Avalanche Canada MIN Reports:

Size 2 slabs in the backcountry Wednesday

Widespread Wind Redistibution



VIDEO FRIDAYS:

Snowboarder out runs avalanche: Pyrenesse

Cutting roof cornices: France

Avalanches--Animated: You Tube


ARTICLES:

Special avalanche warning issued for B.C. interior after skiers death: Global News

A picture can be worth a thousand problems in B.C.'s Backcountry: CBC News

Avalanche warnig in effect  for the Cascades: Washington State

Highwinds damage Mont-Blanc Cable Car: Chamonix