14 Mar 2023

March 14, 2023

      AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

       Sz 3 Na (natural) avalanche in Lionhead Range in Montana. 2023/03/10.     GNFAC Image

      MIN Report from March 12, 2023. Co-Pilot. Sz 2 Sa MIN report below.        Adrian.Heieis Pic



      Avalanche mitigation on Whistler produced Sz 1-2 cornice & storm slabs. Xe Xc Sc.

      Sz 1-2 Xc, Xe in Flute.


      Sz 1 results on Surprise.


      Avalanche mitigation on Blackcomb produced Sz 1-1.5 storm slabs. Xe, Xl, Xc, Xt, Sc.


       Finishing shots in Blackcomb Bowl before the rope drops.

     Xt (explosive delivered by tram) Sz 1-1.5 in Sapphire Chutes. 15 cm 4F+ on top of 10-15 cm F.

      Some Na Sz 1.5 reported below Phalanx Ridge on Monday.


     
     WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Monday was at 07:31 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 25-45 KPH South wind at 1860 m.


      08:00 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 10-40 KPH ESE wind at 1835 m. 


      10:00 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 10-40 KPH ENE wind at 1835 m. S+1



     This image from same time frame as above.

      Monday March 13, 2023. 12:00 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 15-35 KPH SE wind at 1835 m. S-1

      14:00 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 10-30 KPH SW wind at 18560 m. S+2.

      16:00 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 10-25 KPH SW wind at 1835m.


      Snowing in the valley at 21:30 Hrs. Recirculation, in a convective pattern.


Weather Observations for March 14, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -12, Winds were 30-40 KPH S--Horstman Hut
2180 meters     -11, Winds were 50-65 KPH SSW--Whistler Peak
1860 meters     -10, Winds were 10-25 KPH SE --Rendezvous  
1835 meters     -10, Winds were 15-25 KPH SE--Round House
1650 meters       -8, 10 cm in 12 Hrs, 14 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 250 cm--Pig Alley
1570 meters       -8,   5 cm in 12 Hrs,   9 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 173 cm--Catskinner
  660 meters       -2, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +3.1, 9.5 mm of precip yesterday.



      As of 06:00 Hrs this am we have 10 cm of new snow, 4.4 mm in precip gauge. Base  250 cm.

      As of 07:00 hrs we have overcast skies and variable visibility. Snowing lightly.




FORECAST:

A weak cold front and associated upper trough will bring periods of light snow today with a mix of sun and cloud in the pm in a Southerly flow aloft.. More convective flurries which can be difficult to guesstimate. The FL is presently below surface and will rise to around 1000 m with day time heating, dropping below surface again tonight. A weak impulse of moisture arrives very early Wednesday morning before a surface ridge pushes in with dirty ridging for the pm. Mostly sunny near the end of the daylight hours. Dirty ridging for Thursday with a mix of sun and cloud. Dry weather pattern continues into Saturday. Weak frontal band arrives Sunday pm. Guesstimates: 2-5 cm by Wednesday am, No precipitation until Sunday. 2-5 cm by Monday am.




      GOES IR Image from this am.


       WINDY IMAGE 2023/03/14. 05:00 Hrs.


       Low will bring mostly overcast skies this Tuesday am with some sunny periods in the pm. Cool.


      Active snow fall Tuesday am, flurries in the pm.


      Southerly flow aloft.



          Shortwave trough early Wednesday am, dirty ridging with unsettled weather in the pm. Cool.


       Light precipitation early Wednesday am. Dries out in the am, unsettled in the pm.



              Surface ridge brings a mix of sun and cloud for Thursday. Warms up in the pm.


      Dry Thursday.



              High shifts EAST, dirty ridging for most of the day, overcast Friday night. Warmer.



      Dry on Friday.



      Dry but mostly cloudy on Saturday, this may change.


      Trough arrives Sunday around noon with light precipitation. Above seasonable temps.



      INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

   Ski tourer was airlifted to the clinic after hurting knee in a Sz 1.5 avalanche on Curtain Glacier. Sunday.


      Nice breaks at around 08:30 Hrs.


      09:00 Hrs.


      10:00 Hrs.



      Snowing almost 2 cm per hour at 10:30 Hrs.


      Busy morning on 7Th Heaven.


       From a power flurry at 14:00 Hrs. 2 cm in one hour.
 

      To unsettled weather by 14:10 Hrs.

.       Convective clouds eventually swallowed the sun.


      You have to love convective clouds! Powder to the People!!





FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

Travel and Terrain Advice

As the storm slab problem gets trickier, the easy solution is to choose more conservative terrain.

Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features.

Minimize your exposure time below cornices.

The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.


HIGH--SEA TO SKY ADVISORY available top right sidebar.



LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

No new local MIN reports as of 07:00 Hrs.

Co-Pilot Sz 2 from: March 12, 2023





SHORT CLIPS:

Big Air on a sled: Base Jumping

Snow Kiting on a: Volcano

Sledding: Drone Footage

How bad can your day get: Really Bad


ARTICLES:

Blast of late-winter snow forecast for highway passes in Southern B.C., brings high avalanche risk: CBC News

Two avalanches in the Grands Montets Ski Area-No Injuries: France

Managing avalanche risk--Validation in action: Powder Cloud




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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 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. 

13 Mar 2023

March 13, 2023

    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:


     Sz 1.5  Sa Curtain Glacier just above tree line. SAR heli-evaced injured ski tourer. WSAR Pic


       Na Sz 1 wind slab on Sky Pilot 2023/03/12. MIN Report below.                    Camfenton604 Pic  


      A snowmobiler has been killed in an avalanche in Idaho. Click> Sawtoothavy. Article below.


      An avalanche has killed a solo ski tourer in Austria. Articles below.                                Net pic


       Two swedes have died in an avalanche in Val de Bagnes. Verbier, CH   Article below.      Net Pic



      A Swede has died in an avalanche in Valle Maira, Northwest Italy. Article below.         Net Pic



       Minimal avalanche mitigation on Whistler Sunday. Some Sz 1-1.5 Xe Sc.  A Sz 2 Xe.


      Loose dry sluffing.


       Minimal avalanche control performed on Blackcomb. Sc Sz 1 soft slabs.



       Natural dry loose avalanches in the area.

    
      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Sunday was at 07:33 Hrs. -7 Deg C with a 10-35 KPH SE wind at 1860 m.



      08:00 Hrs. -10 Deg C with a 45-60 KPH South wind at 2280 m.

     10:00 Hrs. -9 Deg C with a 40-60 KPH SE wind at 2280 m.



      Sunday March 12, 2023. 12:00 Hrs. -6 Deg C with a 15-30 KPH ESE wind at 1835 m.

     14:00 Hrs. -2 deg C with a 10-30 KPH South wind at 1860 m.

      16:00 Hrs. -5 Deg C with a 10-20 KPH SE wins at 2280 m. S-1



Weather Observations for March 13, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     -6, Winds were 75-105 KPH S--Horstman Hut
2180 meters     -5, Winds were   45-90 KPH S--Whistler Peak
1860 meters     -5, Winds were   30-75 KPH S --Rendezvous  
1835 meters     -4, Winds were   20-50 KPH ESE--Round House
1650 meters     -2, 15 cm in 12 Hrs, 15 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 246 cm--Pig Alley
1570 meters     -2, 14 cm in 12 Hrs, 14 cm in 24 Hrs. Base 171 cm--Catskinner
  660 meters      0, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +6.5 1.8 mm of precip yesterday.




      As of 06:00 Hrs this am we have 15 cm of new snow, 9.2 mm in precip gauge. Base 246 cm.


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





FORECAST:

A weakening cold front will bring periods of light snow this am, transitioning to an unsettled day with a mix of sun and cloud with snow flurries in a Southwest flow aloft. The FL is hovering around 900 m, spiked last night to around 1200 m and should drop back below surface tonight. Winds will abate by noon. Sunny breaks should transition to mostly cloudy skies with some snow flurries this evening. Dries out tonight with cold temperatures and overcast skies. Tuesday will be bring unsettled weather around noon with a mix of sun and cloud with snow flurries. Dirty ridging for a few days. More unsettled weather for Wednesday with an overcast morning with a mix of sun and cloud in the pm. Warm dirty ridging for Thursday with a mix of sun and cloud in the am with increasing cloud cover in the pm. Ditto for Friday. At this time it looks cloudy and warm for Saturday. Guesstimates: 2-8 cm by Tuesday am, thinking 4, but may get more,  1-3 cm by Wednesday am, trace-2 cm by Thursday am, 0 cm by Friday am, 0 cm by Saturday am.






      GOES IR IMAGE from this am.



      WINDY IMAGE 2023/03/13. 05:00 Hrs.


           Cool upper trough will bring light precipitation this am, unsettled weather in the pm. Cooling.


      Periods of light precipitation on Monday.


      Southwesterly flow aloft.


       Cool low will send some flurries Tuesday am, unsettled in the pm. Seasonable temps.


      Overcast Tuesday am, unsettled with flurries in the pm.



        Weak short wave Wednesday am with flurries. Dirty ridging in the pm. Mix of sun and cloud.


      Periods of light snow Wednesday am, unsettled in the pm.


         Dirty ridging Thursday with sunny breaks in the am, cloudy in the pm. Warming.


      Drying trend Thursday. 


      Dirty ridging for Friday. Warming during daylight hours.




     INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    18 Foot snow temps Soda Springs, CA. So much snow! Click> Ginormous Snowpack. Karl Mondon Pic



     Blackcomb early Sunday am.


      10:00 Hrs.


      Spindrift on Fissile, moderate/high winds in the am. 75-100 KPH SE winds at 2180 m.


      Wind transported snow.


      Cowboy Ridge.


      A closer look at tourers on Cowboy Ridge.

      Dry light snow again on Sunday. 


      Flurries by 14:00 Hrs, started snowing at 15:30 Hrs.


      Snowing to the valley, 16:30 hrs.






FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

Travel and Terrain Advice

As the storm slab problem gets trickier, the easy solution is to choose more conservative terrain.

Avoid freshly wind loaded terrain features.

Minimize your exposure time below cornices.

The more the snow feels like a slurpy, the more likely loose wet avalanches will become.


HIGH--SEA TO SKY ADVISORY available top right sidebar.




LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Tszil Mtn & Glacier: March 12, 2023

Lazy Boy: March 12, 2023

Sky Pilot Na: March 12, 2023

Amazing St Marks: March 12, 2023

IAG AST 1, Powell River: March 12, 2023

Magnesia Meadows: March 11, 2023

Taylor Meadows and Barrier: March 11, 2023



SHORT CLIPS:

Nice pow Turns: Mark Amba

Nepal Avalanche 2022: Annapurna

Large Avalanche: Avalanche Mitigation Xe

Getting unstuck: Bungee Cord




ARTICLES:

A snowmobiler has been killed in an avalanche in Stanley Lake Creek Area: Idaho

Two Swedes have died in an avalanche in Val de Bagnes, Verbier: Switzerland

A Swede has died in an avalanche in Valle Maira: Italy

Buried ski tourer rescued by Comrades: Austria

An avalanche has killed a Solo tourer on Sarstein: Austria

Another article on the above avalanche fatality: Austria

14 Ski Tourers buried by avalanche: Austria

Variable weather, Variable snowpack--2023/03/10: Austria

Detailed Report on avalanche fatality 2023/02/25, Magna Pass CO: CAIC






      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 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.