December 24, 2022

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      Man made snow avalanche triggered in Minnesota. Article below. 

      Mahogany Ridge, Utah. Cornice triggered. 2022/12/21. Click> UAC Report.   Pagnucco Pic

     Avalanche mitigation on Whistler produced some Sz 1-1.5. Xe Xl Xc Sc Storm Slabs

      Fresh Debris in Bagel Bowl.

      Avalanche mitigation on Blackcomb produced Sz 1-2 Xe Xc Sc Xr Xy storm slabs

       Small storm slabs collecting snow.

      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      09:00 Hrs, -17 Deg C in the village.  -3 Deg C at the Roundhouse 1835 m.

     Certainly more snow on the Northwest side of the valley. High in the valley Friday was -12 Deg C.

      Friday December 23, 2022. 12:00 Hrs. -1.5 Deg C with a 20-65 KPH SE wind at 1835m.

      17:00 Hrs. -1 Deg C with a 20-45 KPH SW wind at 1835 m.

      Pineapple Express on the way.

Weather Observations for December 24, 2022 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -2, Winds were 95-125 KPH SE--Horstman Hut

2180 meters     -2, Winds were 85-100 KPH SE--Whistler Peak

1860 meters      0, Winds were   25-60 KPH SSW--Rendezvous  

1835 meters     -1, Winds were   20-45 KPH ESE--Round House

1650 meters    +1, 15 cm in 12 Hrs, 17 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 131 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     -1, 13 cm in 12 Hrs, 15 cm in 24 Hrs. Base   80 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters     -9, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was -12, 15.3 mm of precip yesterday. 

No alpine lifts today with this vigorous warm front. Winds and snow will pick up this am.

      As of 06:00 Hrs this am we have  15 cm of new snow. 14.7 mm in precip gauge. Base 131 cm.

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

FORECAST:

Warm front pushing through today in a Westerly flow aloft. Front should pass quickly with a break this evening with some flurries in its wake. The freezing level is going to be difficult to nail, 1600-2000 m for today, may spike up to 2500.  Next frontal band arrives Christmas morning at around sunrise with light precipitation and warm temperatures. The freezing level is the wild card, 1200-2200, hopefully it stays closer to 2000m. Monday looks to be dry in the am with another cooler front arriving Monday evening with the deep low bringing windy winter wether with moderate to heavy precipitation into Tuesday, storm dissipates on Wednesday, with a drying trend in the pm. May see some unsettled weather Thursday into Friday. Guesstimates: 42-48 cm above 1700 m by Sunday am, 30-40 cm above 1800 m by Monday am, 25-30 cm by Tuesday am, 18-22 cm by Wednesday am. 

      GOES IR Image from this am.

      GOES 17 ABI Image. 2022/12/24. 05:00 Hrs.

      Warm, wet, windy weather with a warm front moving onto the coast.

      Light-Moderate precipitation for Saturday. Pineapple Express.

      Westerly flow aloft.

         A brief break Sunday am, then another warm front for Xmas.

       Rather large Aleutian Low will bring light to moderate precipitation Christmas Day.

Cooler Boxing Day with the Sunday front pushing through in the am, another front in the pm.

      Periods of light to moderate precipitation Monday.

             Low moves down the coast, another potent frontal band. Fluctuating FL.

      Moderate precipitation Tuesday.

      Significant low for Tuesday, may go to 956 MB. Could be a windy storm!

      Dries out some on Wednesday with periods of light precipitation.

      INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

      10 cm rule? There are people skiing and riding!!!

     Image from 11:00 Hrs Friday am.

      11:30 Hrs, -1 Deg C with a 25-40 KPH South wind at 1860 m. Hi was 0 Deg C at 14:15 Hrs. Briefly.

      Creekside Gondola up and running.

       Some nice turns to be had!

      And some bad ones! Roads could get hazardous!

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA: 

Travel and Terrain Advice

Avoid all avalanche terrain during periods of heavy loading from new snow, wind, or rain.

Dial back your terrain choices if you are seeing more than 25cm of new snow.

Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Complete Sea to Sky Advisory on top of sidebar.

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Mulligan: Dec 23, 2022

SHORT CLIPS:

North Shore Avalanche Conditions: Dec 23, 2022

Mountain Skills Academy Conditions Report: Dec 22, 2023

The sweet spot: Very Lucky

Hakuba Lines: Japan

Air Jordan: Whistler

ARTICLES: 

Avalanche Triggered in Minnesota: Welch Village

B.C warned of 'considerable' avalanche risk in midst of winter storm: Avalanche Canada

Avalanche warnings for Hwy 3 & 1: B.C. Gov News

Turbulent Weather, Increase in avalanche risk: Austrian Alps

Winter Storm Warning: Whistler

Special avalanche bulletin for Northern French Alps: Pistehors

      If you enjoy the content and find it useful, please hit the donate button, top right on side bar.

Send me recent avalanche images. E-Mail top right of the side bar. Read Below:

Goggle contest returning again this year, win a pair of Marker goggles for the best avalanche image for the months of November-January, February-March, April-May.  Grand prize best image of the  season will be a Pair of Prior Skis or a Split Board awarded at the end of May. 

December 23, 2022

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      Sz 2 (Size 2 avalanche) North San Juans, CO. 2022/12/22  Click> CAIC Report. Jeremy Yanko Pic

      Sr (Skier Remote) Cherry Creek Canyon., UT.  2022/12/21. Click> UAC Report.     Derrick Pic

      No new avalanches observed on Blackcomb.
 

      No new avalanches observed on Whistler.

      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Thursday was at 08:09 Hrs. -14 Deg C with a 0-5 KPH ESE breeze at 2280. Inversion!

      10:30 Hrs, -17 Deg C in the valley.

     Thursday December 22, 2022. 12:00 Hrs. -17 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH NE breeze at 1835 m.

     14:00 Hrs, -9 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH SE breeze.

      Thin high cloud at 14:30 Hrs. -11 Deg C with a 10-15 KPH SE wind at 2280 m.

Weather Observations for December 23, 2022 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -4, Winds were 70-85 KPH S--Horstman Hut

2180 meters     -7, Winds were 50-65 KPH S--Whistler Peak

1860 meters     -3, Winds were 10-30 KPH SSW-Rendezvous  

1835 meters     -2, Winds were 10-25 KPH ENE--Round House

1650 meters     -7, 11 cm in 12 Hrs, 11cm in 24 Hrs. Base 120 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     -7,   9 cm in 12 Hrs,  9 cm in 24 Hrs. Base   68 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters   -17, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was -16.6,? 0.0 mm of precip yesterday. 

      As of 06:00 Hrs this am, we have had 11 cm of new snow, Base 120. 9.3 mm in precip gauge.

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

FORECAST:

A warm front is colliding with the cold Arctic Air in a Westerly flow aloft. Moderating temperatures with light precipitation for today with an inversion. The freezing level will start to rise tonight into tomorrow am. A potent frontal wave arrives Saturday with moderate/heavy precipitation and a freezing level rising to 1800 m?, with strong winds.. The front drys out by early Sunday am, with another frontal band arriving around sunrise on Sunday. Periods of light precipitation will transition to moderate precipitation Sunday night, with the FL rising to 2000 m with strong winds.  Front continues into Monday with moderate precipitation. Drys out Monday morning with some flurries and drier conditions. Another frontal band arrives Monday evening.  

Guesstimates: 18-24 cm by Saturday am, 35-45 cm by Sunday am above 1700 m, 20-30 cm by Monday am above 1800 m, 20-30 cm by Tuesday am above 1000 m. Freezing levels will fluctuate through the storm cycle, hopefully the FL remains below 2200 m. Will update FL in tomorrows post. 

      GOES IR Image from this am.

      GOES 17 ABI Image. 2022/12/23. 05:00 Hrs.

       A warm front is clashing with the Arctic air. Warming up.

      Light snow for today.

      Westerly flow aloft.

       A significant frontal band for Saturday with rising freezing levels and moderate winds.

      A pineapple express Saturday with light/heavy precipitation.

     Freezing rain a possibility Saturday am, will likely mostly be too our South.

    Looks like a significant amount of moisture for Saturday.

Dries out Saturday night into Sunday am. Still warm with the FL 1500-2000 m.

    A break in the am, weaker front arrives late Sunday am. Periods of light to moderate snow.

     A break in the series of frontal bands Sunday am.

           Front continues into Monday with moderate/heavy precipitation. Slightly cooler.

     Low dips South but more precipitation for the South Coast Monday. 

      Low right over the zone, more light/moderate precipitation Tuesday.

      INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

     Cirrostratus cloud <click moved in quickly Thursday am. 

      Certainly could see the sun for most of the morning early afternoon.

      Cold in the valley. Snow laced trees from sow guns. Great temperatures for making snow.

      Ski Foiling on Green Lake. North Outflows.

       Making snow on Lower Cruiser and Schoolmarm.

      One of the snow guns on Lower Cruiser.

       Another perspective of snow making on Lower Cruiser, Schoolmarm.

      High cloud and dry Thursday, started snowing very lightly in the alpine around 18:00 Hrs.

  Quote from Peter Chrzanowski, Circa 1980-"I skied Fissile like a missile" from Russet Lake log book

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

 

Travel and Terrain Advice

Storm slab size and sensitivity to triggering will likely increase through the day.

Storm slabs in motion may step down to deeper layers resulting in large avalanches.

Sea to Sky Advisory available in top right side bar.

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Blackcomb Backcountry: Dec 22, 2022

Disease Ridge & Chuting Gallery: Dec 22, 2022

SHORT CLIPS:

Serac Collapse: Manaslu

Midnight Sun Skiing: Sweden

Rag Dolling: 20 Times?

Multiple Amazing: Recoverys

Hangfire: AvyBites

ARTICLES:

Swiss update avalanche danger levels: Pisthors.com

Current avalanche danger: Switzerland

With a snowy weekend ahead, Juneau's urban avalanche forecasting begins: Alaska

Travel warning issued as South Coast preps fpr onslaught of snow and freeing rain: B.C. 

Ski season in Europe underway but conditions deteriorating ahead of Xmas: PlanetSki

Avalanche Safety with the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol: Wyoming

      If you enjoy the content and find it useful, please hit the donate button, top right on side bar.

Send me recent avalanche images. E-Mail top right of the side bar. Read Below:

Goggle contest returning again this year, win a pair of Marker goggles for the best avalanche image for the months of November-January, February-March,April-May.  Grand prize best image of the  season will be a Pair of Prior Skis or a Split Board awarded at the end of May.