November 6, 2015

    Recent avalanche on Fissile, North aspect. Looks like about 40-50 cm. Nov 3.    Vincent Lortie Pic

    Snowboard accidental, luckily no one went for an ugly ride.                                Vincent Lortie Pic
    This time of the year rocks and crevasses are just part of the  problem if you become involved in
    an avalanche. Ice last week was glazed prior to the fresh snow. Obviously a concern if skiing on
    steep glaciated terrain. Remember, if there is enough snow to ride there is enough snow to slide.
    Early season hazards can cause serious trauma!!

    Fissile Avalanche Lower Right ridge line. Picture taken Thursday afternoon, November 5, 2015.
                                                                     

    Making snow November 2, 2015.  Temperature was -5 early Tuesday morning at 1860 meters.

    Some cloud around in the morning, became convective later in the day Tuesday.

    Sunrise was officially at 07:08 Wednesday morning.

    Wednesday morning, November 4, 2015. 08:00 hours, -7 C at 2160 meters.   :)

    High cloud cover plus a stratus layer Wednesday morning. Valley perspective.

    Making snow at 1835 meters Wednesday morning. -4 at 09:00 Hours.

    Thursday morning, another very thick stratus layer above the valley.

    Eventually the stratus layer lifted, unsettled conditions--Snow makers busy on Whistler.

    Just after sunset Thursday evening, we are losing 4 minutes each day at this time in the cycle.


Weather Observations for November 6, 2015: taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -5, Winds were 20-40 KPH S--Horstman Hut Station
1835 meters      -3, Winds were 11-20 KPH from the E--Roundhouse
1650 meters      -2, Relative Humidity 96%

  660 meters     +3, Valley Temp, Max Temp Yesterday was +8.3.

   As of 07:00 Hours this am we have overcast skies, variable visibility and the snow makers are busy.

   Satelite image from Friday morning.


For the forecast, a cold front will push warmer air into the South Coast and bring intermittent light precipitation to the area today in a Westerly flow. Precipitation rate will increase this evening as the front pushes onshore and switches to a Southerly flow. The freezing level will rise to around 2000 meters this evening then slowly drop to about 1100 meters by Saturday evening. The cold front moves through on Saturday with light to moderate precip rates in a Southwesterly flow. Still a possibility of some wet snow to the valley later Saturday afternoon. A cool upper level trough in a dry Northerly flow will bring unsettled weather to the area for Sunday, we could see snow showers in the valley early Sunday morning. Monday at this time is looking like a bluebird day as a brief ridge develops. Another Pacific front should move onshore for Tuesday but there are disparities in the model runs so more on that in Mondays post. Except for the blip on Friday night things are looking good for an early opening, possibly by next weekend with cool snowy conditions forecasted for later next week. A broad guesstimate on snow amounts for the weekend at 1650 meters is 20-30 cm by Monday morning, 30-50 cm at 2240 meters depending on how nice the FL is to our zone.

 

    Onshore flow will slowly bring some precipitation to the area this evening.

    Looks like Saturday morning will have the most precipitation.

    Just on the edge of some good precipitation.

    Monday into Tuesday. Another front arriving Tuesday afternoon.

    Should see some snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.



VIDEO FRIDAY:

When it rains really hard: Stay Calm

A Changing Landscape: Glacier National Park

We could use some cold temperatures: Frozen Bubbles

Pro Slide over the bergshrund: Ian McIntosh

Some turns on Blackcomb Glacier: November 3, 2015




ARTICLES:

Getting ready for winter: Canada West Mountain School

Hunters swept over cliffs after triggering an avalanche: Montana

Performing under pressure--Fall CPD-- Squamish, B.C.: Avalanche Canada

Why good backcountry partners are important: BackcountryMagazine

Lake Tahoe Group challenging Govt Agencies for better winter recreation opportunities: California

Governor proclaims November Avalanche Education Month: Alaska

New concerns about the Antarctic Ice Sheet: Science Daily

Whistler Blackcomb warns of on-mountain dangers as prep for opening day continues: Pique

    Probably some good turns to be had on Cowboy Ridge. Barely see the avalanche, Tuesday Pic.

    Tuesday afternoon.

    Early Wednesday morning.

    Thursday morning, Snow makers have been busy over the past few days.

    Making snow on Wishbone Thursday morning November 5, 2015. Unsettled weather.

    Thursday afternoon.

    Awesome weather, we could still be golfing and its winter in the mountains.

    Bears are still out and about fattening up before it really becomes winter. Hopefully next week.

    Both these Bruins are big, munching a lot of grass.

                                  Tonight at Millennium Place.