January 6, 2023

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      No new avalanches observed on Blackcomb. Some slab development near end of the day.

      No avalanche activity in the am on Whistler. Rumours of a Sz 1 Sa in the pm.

     WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Thursday was at 08:10 Hrs. -1 Deg C with a 10-30 KPH South wind at 1860 m.

      10:00 Hrs. -3 Deg C with a 50-70 KPH SE wind at 2280 m.

     12:00 Hrs.  -1 Deg C with a 10-40 KPH ESE wind at 1835 m.

      14:00 Hrs. -2 Deg C with a 20-40 KPH ESE wind at 1835 m.

      17:30m Hrs 660 m. Transitioning from wet snow to rain. Freezing level rose to 1700 m Thursday.

Weather Observations for January 6, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -6, Winds were   60-90 KPH SSW--Horstman Hut

2180 meters     -6, Winds were 70-110 KPH S--Whistler Peak

1860 meters     -4, Winds were   20-30 KPH SSW--Rendezvous  

1835 meters     -4, Winds were   20-60 KPH ESE--Round House

1650 meters     -3, 28 cm in 12 Hrs, 32 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 171 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     -2, 22 cm in 12 Hrs, 27 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 117 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters    +3, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +0.5, 5.6 mm of precip yesterday.

Maximum wind gusts at 2280 m in past 12 hours was 148 KPH. 

       As of 06:00 Hrs this am, we have 28 cm of new snow, Base 171 cm. 25 mm in the precip gauge.

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

FORECAST:

Weak upper trough brings dry weather for most of the day in a Southwesterly flow aloft. May have a few showers this am in a mix of sun and cloud, with a frontal band arriving tonight with light precipitation and the freezing level maxing out at 1200 m. The freezing level spiked at 1700 m on Thursday. We did well with that, short lived. Front continues into Saturday with light precipitation and the FL fluctuating  from 900-1200 m. The front dissipates early Sunday am, with dry overcast weather for  most of the am, weak frontal band arriving in the afternoon. Periods of light precipitation into the night. Dries out again Monday am, with another weak impulse in the pm. A stronger frontal band arrives on Tuesday. A zonal flow will bring snow into the alpine for the rest of the week, may see a significant storm on Thursday, time will tell but could be a game changer. Guesstimates: 12-16 cm by Saturday am, 10-15 cm by Sunday am, 4-8 cm by Monday am, 2-6 cm by Tuesday am, 10-15 cm by Wednesday am.

      GOES IR Image from this am.

      GOES 17 ABI Image 2023/01/06. 05:00 Hrs.

       Low will continue to send warmish air, precipitation and strong winds for Friday.

      Periods of light precipitation for Friday.

      Southerly flow aloft.

      Frontal band for Saturday with light precipitation and warmish temperatures. 

      Steady light precipitation for Saturday.

 Weak upper trough gives way to a drying trend Sunday. another weak front arrives Sunday night.

    Mixed bag Sunday, Precip early morning, dries out for the am-pm, another front Sunday night.

         Several lows will affect the weather Monday, cooler temps. Periods of light snow.

     Unsettled Monday, some periods of light snow.

      Low and associated trough will bring periods of light snow for Tuesday.

      INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

      Some nice breaks in the am. 

      Nice patches of blue in the am.

     Dust on cord Thursday am.

      Snowing in the late am.

      As of 14:00 Hrs we received 5 cm of new snow from 06:00 Hrs. Base now 98 cm.

      Storm blew in fairly early. 

      Snowing to the valley in the afternoon. Stellar Conglomerates.

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

 

Travel and Terrain Advice

Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Back off slopes as the surface becomes moist or wet with rising temperatures.

Sea to Sky Advisory available top right sidebar.

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Rohrin' to go: Jan 5, 2023

Blackcomb Glacier: Jan 5, 2023

Panorama: Jan 4, 2023

Ripping Ridge Winds: Jan 4, 2023

Evening top of Brockton: Jan 4, 2023

SHORT CLIPS:

Big Slide: Fast Escape

Big face: Dry Slab

Board & Snow Bike: Turns

Moist Snow Problems; Colorado

Long Clips:

Avalanche Control: Austria

Backcountry Conditions Report-MSA: Jan 5, 2023

ARTICLES:

The Persisting Problem: Avalanche Canada

December saw a 13-year-high for potentially deadly avalanches; Colorado

 Four Americans called heroes after witnessing avalanche in the alps: Austria

Avalanche warning: California

Slab Avalanche Physics: Nicole Sharp

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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. 

January 5, 2023

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      Sz 2 Na Decker lake, likely 1-3 days old. MIN Report below.           Quadrantcross Image

      Sz 1 Sa Pump Peak 2023/01/04. MIN Report below.                                                Ben B Image

 

       No new avalanches observed on Whistler.

     No new avalanches observed on Blackcomb.

     WEATHER YESTERDAY:

       Awesome colours just before sunrise Wednesday.

      Sunrise was at 08:11 Hrs, -6 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH SE breeze at 1860 m.

      10:00 Hrs. -5 Deg C with a 0-10 KPH ESE breeze at 1860 m.

      12:00 Hrs. -3 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH ENE breeze at 1860 m.

      Wednesday January 4, 2023. 14:00 Hrs. -4 Deg C with a 10-20 KPH East wind at 1860 m.

      18:00 Hrs. -5 Deg C with a 20-40 KPH ESE wind at 2280 m.

Weather Observations for January 5, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -3, Winds were 50-70 KPH SE--Horstman Hut

2180 meters     -3, Winds were 60-70 KPH SE--Whistler Peak

1860 meters     -2, Winds were   5-10 KPH SSW--Rendezvous  

1835 meters     -2, Winds were 15-40 KPH ESE--Round House

1650 meters     -5, 3 cm in 12 Hrs, 3 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 146 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     -5, 3 cm in 12 Hrs, 3 cm in 24 Hrs. Base   95 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters     -2, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was -1, 0.0 mm of precip yesterday. 

      As of 06:00 Hrs this am we have 3 cm of new snow, Base 146. 3.5 mm in the precip gauge.

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

FORECAST:

A frontal band will bring periods of light precipitation today in a Southerly flow aloft. The freezing level may go as high as 2000 m but hopefully hover around 1800 m as it warms up through the day. Chance of a few sunny breaks this am as the front slowly gains momentum by this afternoon. Warm, wet, and windy into Friday with another frontal band pushing through in the am. The FL should drop to around 1500 m. Front continues into Saturday with light precipitation and slightly cooler temperatures. Dries out Saturday night into Sunday with overcast skies and snow flurries. A cooler front with light snowfall for Monday. Several weak fronts for next week. Guesstimates: 20-25 cm above 1650m by Friday am, 12-18 cm by Saturday above 1500 m, 4-8 cm by Sunday am, 0-2 cm by Monday am, 15-20 cm by Tuesday am.

      GOES IR Image from this am.

       GOES 17 ABI Image 2023/01/05. 05:00 Hrs.

      Windy image from this am.

      Deep low will send frontal bands our way Thursday with strong winds and a rising FL.

      Bands of light to moderate precipitation on Thursday.

      Southerly flow aloft.

        Deepening low with strong winds, warm temperatures. 925 MB height.

       Low will continue to influence the weather with frontal bands, cooling trend.

      Periods of light precipitation for Friday.

         Between lows, with a frontal band bringing light precipitation, above average temps.

      Light precipitation for Saturday.

         Weaker trough Sunday with overcast dry weather until Sunday night. Cooling down.

      Low moves South with dry overcast weather Sunday, frontal band arrives Sunday night.

      Low gets closer to the coast with periods of Light to moderate precipitation Monday.

   Low tracks South with a weak upper trough, periods of light precipitation with dry overcast weather.

      Looking good for next week, most of the storm is South, but snow for us on the South Coast.

      INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

     Early morning light.

      Mix of sun and cloud Wednesday am.

      Phalanx Ridge shrouded in cloud.

      National Team was training in the park Wednesday.

      Dusted Deciduous trees. 

      Fissile with Cowboy Ridge in the foreground.

      Tracks on Cowboy Ridge.

      Sundog with high overcast moving in Wednesday afternoon.

       Recent Snow Profile.

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA: 

Travel and Terrain Advice

Avoid steep, rocky, and wind effected areas where triggering slabs is more likely.

If triggered, wind slabs avalanches may step down to deeper layers resulting in larger avalanches.

Sea to Sky Advisory top right of sidebar.

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Decker Lake: Jan 4, 2023

Pump Peak: Jan 4, 2023

Anniversary Glacier: Jan 4, 2023

SHORT CLIPS:

Small Sluff to: Big Sluff

IDIOT of the YEAR AWARD: No Thanks

Happy New Year: Whistler

Easily triggered: Snow Bike Cutting

Montana Snowmobile Fatality Report: MTAvalanche

ARTICLES:

Avalanche slides down mountain in Almaty: Kazakhstan

At least 10 avalanches triggered in Idaho in 3 days: Sawtooth Avalanche Centre

Avalanche danger casts deadly shadow across Colorado Backcountry: Colorado Sun

Pink snow in Utah Mountains of interest to researchers: Salt Lake City 

Persistent weak layer is still a problem: Austria

 

      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.