May 5, 2023

     AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

      Sz 3 Wet Slab beside S-turn. 24-48 Hrs old. Took out some old trees.                   Rich Lee image

     New cornice tab release off BushWhip.

      Sizeable cornice chunk. Alpine has been closed.

       Older release on the Duffey, but not as much activity in the Joffre area compared to locally.

     Several older to ground releases on this slope on the Duffey closer to Lillooet.

     Update in articles below. Solomon Peak wet avalanche incident. Compound Femur Fx.  SMR Pic.

      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Thursday was at 05:43 Hrs. +6 Deg C with a 6-8 KPH North breeze at 1860 m.

      08:00 Hrs. +6 Deg C 4-8 KPH NE breeze at 1860 m.

     10:00 Hrs. +11 Deg C with a 5-20 KPH East wind at 1860 m.

      Thursday May 4, 2023. 12:00 Hrs. +8 Deg C wit a 15-35 KPH ENE wind at 1860 m.

      14:00 Hrs. +10 Deg C with a 10-20 PH ENE wind at 2280 m.

     16:00 Hrs.  +10 Deg C with a 10-20 KPH East wind at 1860 m.

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

2280 meters      +4, Winds were 5-12 KPH E--Horstman Hut

1860 meters      +4, Winds were 5-12 KPH S--Rendezvous  

1650 meters      +3, 0.8 mm in 12 Hrs, 0.8 mm in 24 Hrs. Base 212 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters      +3, 1.2 mm in 12 Hrs, 1.2 mm in 24 Hrs. Base 123 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters      +8, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +25.7, 0.9 mm of precip yesterday.

      As of 06:00 Hrs we have 0.8 mm recorded at the precip gauge at 1650 m. Base 212 Cm.

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

FORECAST:

A deep upper level trough will be the weather maker today in a Southeasterly-Southerly flow aloft. The bulk of the moisture is heading South with an interesting weather pattern for the weekend. Complete shift in the forecast from 2 days ago.  There were some lightning strikes last night with thunder and rain around 11:00 Hrs in Whistler. A cool unstable airmass continues into Friday. We can expect periods of light precipitation with the FL hovering around 3000+ meters slowly dropping to 1700 m later today. May go as low as 1500 m by Saturday night. Relatively dry considering how big the low is. Should see a dry period around opening of the mountain today, with a weak impulse of precipitation near closing of the mountain this afternoon. Light rain will slowly transition to snow in the upper elevations tonight, with another weak impulse arriving early Saturday am. Cooler air mass but mostly overcast skies for Saturday during daylight hours. Chance of some showers Saturday evening. Interesting weather pattern with closed upper lows creating the Fujiwara Effect <click for explanation, Saturday/Sunday with unsettled weather with a mix of sun and cloud for Sunday. Showers arrive early Monday am but are short lived with unsettled weather for the pm. Dirty ridging for Tuesday-Thursday with seasonable temperatures and a mix of sun and cloud. Guesstimates: 2-5 mm by Saturday am, trace-1 mm by Sunday am, 0-trace by Monday am, trace -2 mm by Tuesday am, Dry Wednesday-Friday.

      GOES IR IMAGE from this am.

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

        Deep upper level trough with cooling temperatures will bring a weather change Friday. Cooler.

      Periods of light precipitation on Friday.

      Southeasterly-Southerly flow aloft.

        Weak impulse of moisture Saturday as the low spins offshore. Cooler.

      Periods of light precipitation. Bulk of the moisture has gone South.

        Low well off shore and heading South. Unsettled weather Sunday. Cooler.

      Unsettled weather amongst the lows. Dry day Sunday. Fujiwhara Effect< click for explanation.

       Lows still in flux, Upper high wedges between the lows on Monday. Unsettled weather.

      Lows with weak high pressure in the mix Monday. Showers likely with a mix of sun and cloud.

      Dirty ridging Tuesday with a mix of sun and cloud. Seasonable temperatures.

      Dirty ridging Wednesday. Seasonable temperatures.

      INFORMATION AND OBSERVATIONS:

     10:00 Hrs. +16 Deg C in the valley.

      Hopefully we will be skiing pow there by Saturday.

      Older Activity on Armchair Glacier.

      Great delivery by John Sykes and Roger Atkins at CAA Case Studies and Research Presentations.

      First time seeing the devastating river shift in the Nicola Valley.  

       Gazex guns on top of slide path 51.

      Below avg snow pack on the Duffey, on a good winter there would be avalanche debris at the lake.

      Arresting berm at the bottom of slide path 66 on the Duffey lake Road.

      Progress on the road to Whistler Peak continues on.

      Recent cornice tab release from High Test.

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

Travel and Terrain Advice

The likelihood of deep persistent slab avalanches will increase with each day of warm weather.

The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.

Use extra caution around cornices: they are large, fragile, and can trigger slabs on slopes below.

Avoid avalanche terrain during periods of heavy rain.

Watch for fresh storm slabs building throughout the day.

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

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

Lillooet Spicefield: May 4, 2023

SHORT CLIPS:

Little Cottonwood Canyon: Mudslide

Summary of Alta's snowpack: 900+ inches

Sluff management: 101

Wet Loose: Avalanches

ARTICLES:

More information on the wet avalanche that seriously injured a ski tourer on Solomon Peak: Colorado

3rd avalanche in 2 days blocks trek route to Kedarnath:  Northern India

Dangerous avalanche warning issued for Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks: Global News

Hwy 1 at Rogers Pass to close for avalanche mitigation: May 4, 2023

Forest of cylindrical obstacles slows avalanche flow: PhysicsWorld

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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  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. 

May 4, 2023

     AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

     No new avalanches observed on Blackcomb Wednesday.

      Some of the debris from the Sz 3 Na on Lower Disease Ridge. Avalanche occurred 2023/05/02 

      Early morning light on Fx Line Lower Disease Ridge. May have gone on Nov 21/25 MFcr combo!

      Dirty activity by S-Turn. Image taken 2023/05/02.                                             Rick Lee Image

     Sz 2.5 Skier remote Burstall Pass. Click>MIN Report.                                            Kevin R Pic

      WEATHER YESTERDAY:

      Sunrise Wednesday was at 05:44 Hrs. +6 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH SE wind at 1860 m.

     08:00 Hrs +8 Deg C with a very light SE breeze at 1860 m.

      10:00 Hrs. +9 Deg C with a 2-8 KPH South wind at 1860 m.

      Wednesday May 3, 2023. 12:00 Hrs. +12 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH ESE wind at 1835 m.

      14:00 Hrs. +11 Deg c with a 5-10 KPH NE wind at 1860 m.

     

     16:00 Hrs. +16 Deg C with a 5-10 KPH ESE wind at 1860 m.

Weather Observations for May 4, 2023 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2280 meters     +5, Winds were 4-6 KPH N--Horstman Hut

1860 meters     +6, Winds were 0-2 KPH ESE--Rendezvous  

1650 meters     +4, 0 mm in 12 Hrs, 0 mm in 24 Hrs. Base 219 cm--Pig Alley

1570 meters     +7, 0 mm in 12 Hrs, 0 mm in 24 Hrs. Base 126 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters     +5, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +24.7, 0.0 mm of precip yesterday.

       As of 06:00 Hrs. 0.0 mm of precip, Base 219 cm. at 1650 m.

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

FORECAST:

Ridging this am will bring sunny skies in a Southerly flow aloft. Clouds will show up in the pm with increasing cloud cover into Thursday night. Frontal band arrives before midnight with light precipitation. The FL is hovering in the 3000 m range and may rise to 3500 m today. Should see it dropping to around 2000 m by Friday morning, continuing to drop with the passage of the cold front on Friday (1500m?). Front dries out by Friday evening with another weak front for Saturday. Overcast with periods of light precipitation on Sunday. Dirty ridging on Monday with a mix of sun and cloud. Dirty ridging for Tuesday into Wednesday. Guesstimates: 2-5 cm above 1650 m by Friday am, 14-18 cm above 1650 m by Saturday am, 2-4 cm at 1570 m by Sunday am, 2-5 cm by Monday am, 0 cm by Tuesday am.

      GOES IR IMAGE from this am.

      WINDY IMAGE 2023/05/04. 05:00 Hrs.

    Weakening ridge with an approaching cold front. Mix of sun and cloud. Above average temps.

      Dry day Thursday, increasing cloud cover tonight.

      Southerly flow aloft.

       Low slides down the coast, cold front for Friday. Cooler temperatures.

      Periods of light/moderate precipitation on Friday.

       Upper trough weakens Saturday, lingering moisture and cool temperatures. 

      Periods of light precipitation Saturday.

     Looks wet on Friday/ Saturday. Snow in the alpine.

       Low off the coast, troughing and unsettled weather for Sunday. Seasonable temperatures.

      Periods of light precipitation on Sunday.

      Dirty ridging Monday with a mix of sun and cloud.

      Mix of sun and cloud on Tuesday.

     Aleutian low looks to build later next week.

      INFORMATION AND OBSERVATIONS:

      Nice sky at 08:00 Hrs. +7 Deg C at 2280 m.

      Glacier Express and 7TH Heaven were closed due to avalanche danger Wednesday.

      Pouring concrete for the new 8 Pack Chair Bottom Terminal.

      Another awesome day in the mountains.

      Avalanche danger locally is still at High.

     CAA Presentations on Wednesday. Transceiver Interference Project was interesting.

      Not much snow left on the fairways.

      +22 Deg C in the valley at 18:00 Hrs. +12 Deg C at 2280 m.

FROM AVALANCHE CANADA:

Travel and Terrain Advice

Avoid exposure to overhead avalanche terrain as temperatures increase.

The likelihood of deep persistent slab avalanches will increase with each day of warm weather.

Pay attention to cornices and give them a wide berth when traveling on or below ridges.

Cornice failures could trigger very large and destructive avalanches.

A moist or wet snow surface, pinwheeling and natural avalanches are all indicators of a weakening snowpack.

The more the snowpack warms-up and weakens, the more conservative you`ll want to be with your terrain selection.

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

LOCAL MIN REPORTS:

No new MIN Reports as of 07:00 Hrs.

SHORT CLIPS:

Wet Snow Avalanche: Kashmir

Snowboarder outruns: Avalanche

Avalanche Mitigation: CDOT

MSA Backcountry Conditions Report: May 3, 2023

ARTICLES:

Weather hampers rescue efforts at Darchula avalanche: Nepal

Avalanche hits 3 Km from Kedarnath Shrine: Northern India

Colorado avalanche deaths near record high for 2022/2023 season: Axios

Mud slide closes road to Alta & Snowbird: Utah

West Antarctic ice sheet retreated far inland, could cross the tipping point: Science Daily

      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  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.