February 25, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Three missing in Kupwara avalanche in Kashmir. Story in article section.                           Net Pic

    1 Dead, 3 injured after being hit by an avalanche in Switzerland. Story below.                   Net Pic

    Locally, AC produced Sz 1-1.5 Sc Xe.


    YESTERDAY:

    Blue Bird Saturday morning.

    Fresh snow on the Peak to Valley Course.

    Some cloud began to form in the afternoon.

    Building cloud as the day progressed.

    Looking Southwest later in the afternoon.

    Front eventually moved into the valley.

Weather Observations for February 25, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters   -10, Winds were 60-100 KPH SW--Whistler Peak
1835 meters     -9, Winds were   20-70 KPH SW --Roundhouse
1660 meters     -7, 15 cm of new, 15 cm in 24 hrs  Base 299 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters    - 1, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +1.8, 2.2 mm of precip recorded yest

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


FORECAST:

Unsettled weather for today with periods of light snowfall in a Westerly flow aloft, as a weak cool front passes through. Monday morning is looking unsettled before another weak front pushes through in the afternoon.  Tuesday will be overcast with light snow throughout the day, the FL may rise to 900 meters. Wednesday is looking to be possibly the producer this coming week depending on the track of the intense Pacific front brushing by the South Coast. A cool upper level trough will bring unsettled weather to the area on Thursday.
Guesstimates: 1-3 cm by Monday morning, 2-4 cm by Tuesday morning, 4-6 cm by Wednesday morning, 25-45 cm by Thursday morning.

    GOES IR image this am. Frontal band has moved to the SE.

    Unsettled weather for today with seasonable temperatures.

    Front pushed through early this am.

    Unsettled with periods of light snow.

    Fronts along the coast.

    Unsettled Monday morning.

    Weak warm front later in the day.



    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Windy in the alpine Saturday morning.

    Harmony chair is operational!!

    Nice snow yesterday.

    Peak to Valley race had extended periods of tucking!!

    Snow conditions yesterday were awesome.

    Course Inspection.

    Giving it all at the bottom of the course.


Recent Avalanche Canada MIN Reports:

Blackcomb Slack

Rohr Path 69.2

Eldorado Basin

Mt Fromme

Mt Seymour


From South Coast Touring:

	Simon Campbell February 24 at 1:38pm
Overnight trip in the Joffre group on Wednesday and Thursday; cerise creek skin track below the tree-line was slippery in some sections but very manageable nonetheless.  Higher up at and above tree-line we encountered wind effected snow on all aspects, (especially those south facing) and hard wind crusts on vantage ride as well as both the north and south ridges above anniversary glacier. We didn’t see any recent slab avalanches in the area.  Our original plan was to hit Aussie couloir, but three ECT results on the south aspect before the skin track heads up Anniversary glacier (~2000m) showed a prominent storm slab with a propagating fracture 20-40cm deep. We decided to ski other lines.  Definitely take some caution on wind affected slopes, keep an eye out for shooting cracks, and cornices...Other then that there’s some great untracked turns to be had around Keiths!

ARTICLES:

Three missing in Kupwara avalanche after rains, snow hampering rescue operations: Kashmir

1 Dead, 3 injured after being hit by an avalanche in Swizerland: Arolla Area

Avalanche in Himachil, Army Jawan rescued: Northern India

Slide on Momma Bear run causes Polar Peak chair to close: Fernie Mountain Resort

Ski Companies still using Mountain Guides charged in death of British Banker: Italy

Delays due to avalanche control on Hwy 16: Terrace

February 24, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    Locally, no new avalanches were observed.


    YESTERDAY:

    Sun was there but it snowed most of the day.

    Creekside--Snowing!!

    Light snow at mid mountain, for most of the day.

    Not great visibility in the alpine. Yes that is the Peak to Valley Course.

    Friday afternoon.

    Big picture Friday afternoon.


Weather Observations for February 24, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters   -13, Winds were 20-25 KPH NW--Whistler Peak
1835 meters   -12, Winds were   5-10 KPH NE --Roundhouse
1660 meters   -12, 9 cm of new, 12 cm in 24 hrs  Base 299 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters     -7, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was -3.7, 2.3 mm of precip recorded yest

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


FORECAST:

The cool upper level trough moved South last night with clear skies in its wake. A mix of sun and cloud for today with some day time flurries in a West/Northwest Flow aloft. There is an impulse of moderate/heavy snow expected tonight. The FL will maintain at or near the surface for the next few days. The snow will ease by Sunday afternoon with light periodic snowfall!! Monday will see some more cool unsettled weather with a moderate impulse of snow Monday night. More cool temperatures and snow on the way for next week.
Guesstimates: 8-12 cm by Sunday morning, 2-6 cm by Monday morning, 2-6 cm by Tuesday morning, 5-10 cm by Wednesday morning.

    GOES IR image this am.

    High wins this morning, with low bringing snow tonight.

    Unsettled Saturday morning.

    Snow tonight.

    Fronts along the coast.

    Unsettled Sunday.

    Some snow Sunday


    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Alpine visibility was limited.

    Snow conditions were nice in the afternoon.

    Avalanche rescue training.

    Plate stellars, nice cold smoke!!

    GOES IR image last night at around 10:30 hrs. Most of the moisture was South.

From South Coast Touring: Reid Madiuk, Daniel O'Meara and 11 others posted in South Coast Touring.     Reid Madiuk February 23 at 5:40pm Spicy 🌶 lines on the Elfin spines yesterday. (February 22)  South face of Columnar Peak. We skied 1650m to 1350m. Travel was great. By 130pm on our second lap it was -2C in the shade and surface snow was -0.5 and became thick on the steep south face. A melt freeze crust was present anywhere between 5cm-40cm on this variable terrain. Second lap proved a little late and we had to bail off the spine due to numerous size 1 ski cuts as we approached the steeper part of the spine.  Be careful on south faces with this new snow as the sun was very strong yesterday.  Looked like a pretty track heading up the Neve out of ring creek. But I’m sure that’s all covered up now.  Shaded protected zones were still holding great snow with up to 40cm boot pen.

ARTICLES:

Avalanche Centre Director studies snowpack to save lives: Montana

Significant climatic change in the Himalaya: DRDO's Snow & Avalanche Study

Avalanche and Crevasse claims the life of two skiers: We Powder

How, When & Why to Measure Slope Angles: Backcountry Magazine

Parlor Custom Skis Contest: Cat Skiing in the Chic-Chocs

Despite frigid weather- The snow in Pyeongchang is Fake: Samantha Raphelson

February 23, 2018

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    An avalanche has killed a ski tourer in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland. Story below.    Net Pic

    Yesterday, 1 Sz 1 loose dry observed, otherwise no new avalanches observed.

    Interesting loose dry release, not the one mentioned above.


    YESTERDAY:

    Early Thursday morning.

    08:30Hrs at 1835 meters yesterday morning it was -17 15-30 KPH from the NNE. Wind chill -29.

    Wedge Thursday morning.

    Variable snow conditions but some nice snow below tree line.

    Air Time.

    Blackcomb Mountain.

    Alpin glow Thursday evening.

    Thursday afternoon.

    Big picture Thursday afternoon.


Weather Observations for February 23, 2018  taken at 06:00 Hours.

2180 meters   -15, Winds were 25-45 KPH S--Whistler Peak
1835 meters   -11, Winds were 20-30 KPH S --Roundhouse
1660 meters   -11, trace of new, trace in 24 hrs  Base 289 cm --Pig Alley

  660 meters   -11, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was 0.0, 0.0 mm of precip recorded yest

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have overcast skies, variable visibility and its snowing lightly.


FORECAST:

A low sliding down the coast in a Northwesterly flow loft will bring overcast skies and light snowfall through the day. There is a good chance we could see an impulse of heavy snowfall tonight before the low slides South. The high has some influence Saturday morning with mostly sunny skies before cloud spills in for unsettled weather in the afternoon as a fast moving cool upper level trough pushes through with heavy snowfall Saturday night. Lingering flurries on Sunday with mostly unsettled weather. The cold and unsettled Northwest flow will continue into next week with periods of snow and the FL remaining at or slightly higher than surface.
Guesstimates: 10-25 cm by Saturday morning, 18-22 cm by Sunday morning, 2-4 cm by Monday morning, 4-8 cm by Tuesday morning.

If the cold front lines up over our zone tonight there is potential for heavy snow fall accumulations.

    GOES IR this am.

    Low, High, and Arctic Front could bring us a surprise tonight.

    Overcast and snow moving down the coast.

    Could get some snow out of this scenario.

    Fronts on the coast.

    Unsettled for Saturday.

    Mix of sun and cloud.


    INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    Some clouds appeared yesterday.

    Not a nice surface.

    There is nice snow out there if you look for it!!

    Exposed areas have been wind hammered.

    Whistler Mountain Thursday afternoon.

    There are some huge cornices in the local mountains.

    Old debris.


VIDEO FRIDAY:

Two rescue workers die in an avalanche: Italy

Toots to Boots Avalanche: Utah




ARTICLES:

An avalanche has killed a German Ski Tourer in Silvretta Alps: Switzerland

Mother pushes for changes after husband dies in an avalanche: Idaho

Spatial and temporal analysis of fatal off-piste & backcountry avalanche accidents: EGU

How Anna Allen survived 5 days buried in an avalanche: Alpine Meadows