January 11, 2020

    YESTERDAY:

    Early turns in Seventh heaven. Nice snow below tree line.

    Visibility was challenging in the am, at 2240 meters.

    Visibility improved in the afternoon.

    Friday January 10, 2020. 14:00 Hrs.-6.1 Deg C with a 15-25 SE wind.

    Big picture Friday afternoon.

    A few breaks in the afternoon.

    7.5 mm of precipitation recorded at 660 meters yesterday.

Weather Observations for January 11, 2020 taken at 06:00 Hours.

2240 meters      -7, Winds were 15-20 KPH S--Horstman Hut

2180 meters      -6, Winds were 10-15 KPH SW--Whistler Peak
1860 meters      -6, Winds were   5-10 KPH S --Rendevous 

1835 meters      -6, Winds were   5-10 KPH W--Round House

1650 meters      -4, 6 cm in 12 Hrs, 15 cm in 24 Hrs, Base 194 cm --Pig Alley
1560 meters .    -4, 4 cm in 12 Hrs, 11 cm in 24 Hrs, Base 126 cm--Catskinner

  660 meters      -3, Valley Temp, Max temp Yesterday was +0.6, 7.5 mm of precip yesterday.

    As of 07:00 Hrs this am we have broken cloud, variable visibility and it is snowing less than 1 cm/hr.

FORECAST:

A weak Pacific frontal system will bring mostly overcast skies with periods of light snow for today in a Northwest flow aloft. The freezing level may rise just above surface this afternoon but back down below surface tonight. The low to our east will continue to send cloud our way on Sunday as well, with periods of light snowfall. An Arctic high will bring colder temperatures on Sunday which will keep dropping into Monday. We can expect cold sunny weather for Monday and Tuesday before a series of weak frontal bands arrive for Wednesday into Saturday of next week.
Guesstimtes: 2-6 cm by Sunday morning, 4-8 cm by Monday morning.

    GOES IR image from this am.

     Low will keep the skies overcast for today with some flurries.

    Fronts along the coast.

    Cloudy with the low to our East, colder temperatures as the Arctic Outbreak takes hold.

    Cold and sunny for Monday.



    AVALANCHE ACTIVITY:

    No Xe used Friday on Whistler, Some Sc produced Sz 1-1.5. Some Na Sz 1 were observed.

    Still see where avalanches have gone to the ground on Flute.

    On Blackcomb, some Sc produced Sz 1 soft slabs. Some Sz 1 Na observed on steep terrain.



     INFORMATION & OBSERVATIONS:

    There were a few sunny breaks yesterday.

    Lots of rime at 2240 meters.

    In the past 7 days we have had 141 cm of snow.

    Still great snow to be had!!

    Snow is piling up in the valley.



From Avalanche Canada MIN Reports:

Oboe & Singing Pass: Jan 10, 2020

Mount Seymour: Jan 10, 2020


VIDEOS:

Whistler weather update with meteorologist: David Jones

Surface Hoar Formation: University of Calgary


ARTICLES:

Mechanism for strength changes of Buried Surface Hoar: U of C

Texture and strength changes of buried surface hoar: U of C

High avalanche risk throughout the North Shore Mountains: North Shore News

Micro mechanical modelling of snow failure: The Cryosphere

Wolf Full Moon kicks off the first of 13 full moons in 2020: Space & Science