Winter 14-15 Alaska/Yukon/Upper BC Discussion

[MTBLANC]

I'd like to visit someplace like that in the winter.  Just visit though...too cold and dark for me on a full time basis.

 

 

I second this.

 

 

Me too.

 

We should organize a trip ! Whitehorse is not so extreme compared to Yellowknife or even in the Prairies. Pacific Ocean is just 100 km far away and influences a lot our weather up here.

This morning I have -3C, which is not so bad.

And even if we only have 5 1/2 hours of daylight, sky is clear enough 8 hours a day. And this means that in summer we have up to 19 hours of daylight ! 

 

The drive from the lower 48 to Anchorage in winter is pretty surreal, almost like traveling on Hoth or something.

Yes, that's correct, even if this year that's not perfect because winter has been so mild so far !

[Sometimesdylan]

Picked up another inch yesterday. Might score a couple more here this weekend, but we're right on the rain/snow line if any does show up.

 

Next week we might have a shot at some snow on Wednesday per NWS, after that the ridge that everyone is watching will show up on our doorstep. Our NWS Forecast discussion had a bit about it:

 

 

 

BY NEXT WEEKEND THE LARGE SCALE RIDGE SHOULD BE DOMINATING THE
AREA BUT THE DIFFERENT PLACEMENT BY THE MODELS MAKES FORECAST
TRICKY. THE ECMWF WOULD MEAN MUCH COLDER AIR WITH TEMPS BELOW
AVERAGE...WHILE THE GFS WOULD MEAN ONLY A LITTLE COLDER AIR WITH
MORE NORMAL TEMPS. STAY TUNED...

[MTBLANC]

Hi There,

 

Still mild here even if temperatures cooled down a bit during the week. But there are still close or above the norms in Whitehorse.

Here is a snapshot of weather conditions these past days (temperatures in Celsius):

Monday: -2.5/-0.1

Tuesday: -4.1/-2.4

Wednesday: -19.4/-4.0, temperatures dropped during the day

Thursday: -22.7/-14.4

Friday: -18.9/-12.0, 1 cm snowfall in the morning

Today: -19.2/-12.6

 

Here are some pictures I took at lunch time while doing a 15 km run by -15C along the Takhini River:

http://photos-c.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t51.2885-15/10844267_1563879540515202_1270236207_n.jpg

 

http://photos-g.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t51.2885-15/10467706_670958313025662_1490121619_n.jpg

 

http://photos-a.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t51.2885-15/10832075_887374024636016_357645546_n.jpg

 

http://scontent-a-pao.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10860184_321935837996907_1677678312_n.jpg

 

For the upcoming days, still mild, with snowfall possible before temperatures cool down. Wait & See!

Talk soon http://forums.infoclimat.fr//public/style_emoticons/default/smile.png!

[MTBLANC]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to the Community  !

 

It looks like we may have some seasonal cold until the end of this week before it warms up again (again ...) with highs close or above 0C in Whitehorse starting Monday.

 

Here are some pictures I took sooner this afternoon while having a run on the trails of the subdivision. During the run temperatures dropped from -14 to -18C:

 

Fog patches:

http://photos-g.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t51.2885-15/10724876_310690919142150_316946713_n.jpg

 

The trail:

http://photos-b.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10848199_774015922670905_896419221_n.jpg

 

The Takhini River, still not completely frozen:

http://photos-b.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t51.2885-15/10522219_1526779600935345_48146586_n.jpg

[Sometimesdylan]

interesting post i saw on facebook today:

 

http://i.imgur.com/hyxRW95.jpg

[Sometimesdylan]

getting snowed on right now, should pick up an inch or two before it switches to rain on wed/thur. might switch back to snow at the tail end of the system. the upper mountain should be doing pretty good. one can hope!

 

then... it looks like we're getting some arctic air. temps dipping into single digits it seems. usually ends well snow wise... but we'll see

[MTBLANC]

Happy New Year !

 

We are under a snowfall alert here in Whitehorse, 15/25 cm are expected by tomorrow morning:

Warnings

5:22 AM PST Thursday 01 January 2015
Winter storm warning in effect for:

• South Klondike Highway - Carcross to White Pass

Hazardous winter conditions are expected.

A deep Pacific low pressure system will move across the northern Alaskan Panhandle late today. Snow heavy at times will begin early this morning and last until late this evening. Total accumulations of 15 to 25 cm are forecast for the day. Additionally, strong northerly winds of 40 km/h gusting to 60 will develop near midday creating poor visibility in snow and blowing snow.

Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. Visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow. Public Safety Canada encourages everyone to make an emergency plan and get an emergency kit with drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit and a flashlight. For information on emergency plans and kits go to http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/

Winter Storm Warnings are issued when multiple types of severe winter weather are expected to occur together.

[Sometimesdylan]

Thats a way to start off the new year! We're just getting rain here. 

[MTBLANC]

Too bad for you, cold should follow this event.

[MTBLANC]

In fact, I live 20 km north of Whitehorse airport and received nothing so far... !

[Sometimesdylan]

That's a bummer! It's clear and cold now. Should get in the teens today and this weekend. I hate when it gets this cold and there is no snow on the ground because it's bad for the salmon eggs, or so I've been told. Oh well. We got about a foot of snow above 1500 ft, though. Everywhere lower got rain, we kind of have a mini ice rink in our back yard.

 

I like these arctic intrustions, they usually end with a solid overrunning event. Models are all hinting at it happening now around Wednesday.

[Sometimesdylan]

I've heard the same thing about the salmon eggs.  Maybe something about not getting enough oxygen when they're locked in ice.  Or not.

 

One of the guys I have fished for was also a fisheries biologist, and he said that the snow insulates the streams and prevents them from fully freezing. If they fully freeze the eggs (that are usually not buried that deep in gravel) freeze and the cells that make up the fish embryo rupture.

[MTBLANC]

Cold is finally here (temperatures in Celsius): 

Old Crow -42

Pelly Farm/Ross River -41

Watson Lake -40

Braeburn -39

Mayo -38

Haines Junction -37

Dawson/my place -36

Carcross -35

Teslin -34

Whitehorse -31

Link to temperatures is here.

[Sometimesdylan]

http://i.imgur.com/cuicRoV.jpg

 

Hope to see some lights tonight! 13 degrees outside my house with gusts of 40mph...Might stay inside for this one

[Sometimesdylan]

Accidentally posted this to the PNW thread. Crossposting here:

 

http://i.imgur.com/cesrQjC.png

 

Predicted Snow levels for here on Thurs. Pretty crazy how Angoon and southward will have a snow level in the 5000+ range while Juneau northward will be fairly close to sea level or at sea level... 

 

You can def see how places like Gustavus (709), Juneau (754) and Hyder ( 0 ft -- middle right) all benefit from outflow winds.

[MTBLANC]

We got down to -45 this morning in the territory, but it started to warm up in the south with temperatures above -30C right now at my place.

This afternoon we got 1 cm snowfall by temperatures between -28 and -32, and temperatures will gradually go back to the -15C's in the following days. Some more snow to expect (5 cm?) between tonight and Thursday.

[Sometimesdylan]

Yeah it's cold out there. Chicken got down to -50 today as well. 

We've picked up about 2 inches of snow in the last two hours. Dog is outside playing around. Feels good to have some snow with this cold. 

[Sometimesdylan]

There should be some active weather up north.  I'll watch there, as excitement in Oregon looks to be non-existent for a while.

I'm hoping we get some more snow. We're about 1/3rd of our normal snowfall amount for this time of the year. 

[Sometimesdylan]

Picked up about 6.5 inches. Nice little dump. Rode my snowmobile around the neighborhood, always nice to be able to do that (although the cops here don't like it.... but none of them saw )

[MTBLANC]

D**n that's cold.  How many layers of clothes do you have to wear for that?

 

For running:

head: a mask and a cap + a neck warmer

body: three shirts (one short sleeves, two long) + a jacket

hands: two pairs of gloves

legs: two pants

feet: two pairs of socks

 

and that's okay!

 

Now it has warmed up a lot and we may even get above 0C next week...

[MTBLANC]

Pretty mild in South Yukon with at 6pm:

Haines Junction +6

Champagne, Teslin Auto (mais Teslin Airport -1) +5

Whitehorse +4

Carcross +2

 

I still have -4C at my place (20 kms north of Whitehorse) but I will reach the zero bar tomorrow.

 

This mild weather should keep on visiting us all this week!

[Sometimesdylan]

Hope the cold comes back! 42 right now here.

[MTBLANC]

Hope the cold comes back! 42 right now here.

-6.2/+2.0 today at my place.

It even rained with 1 mm rain around lunch time !

[Sometimesdylan]

00z GFS is showing 11.53 inches of precip from now until the 22nd. That's an inch up over the 18z. Yowzers.

[Sometimesdylan]

Alaska is warm right now. Thanks to Alaska Climate Info for the details.

 

Current departures since Nov 1 2014:

Eielson Visitor Ctr --> +12.6°F
King Salmon --> +12.2°F
Whitestone Farms --> +12.0°F
Iliamna AP --> +11.5°F
Kaltag AP --> +11.2°F
Mcgrath AP --> +10.8°F
Point Mackenzie --> +9.6°F
Big Delta AP --> +9.5°F
Bethel AP --> +9.1°F
Portage Glacier V C --> +9.1°F
Fairbanks Intl AP --> +8.9°F
Keystone Ridge --> +8.8°F
Kotzebue Ralph Wein AP --> +8.8°F
Alyeska --> +8.7°F
Talkeetna AP --> +8.5°F
Nome Muni AP --> +8.5°F
Palmer Muni AP --> +8.2°F
Anchorage Intl AP --> +8.0°F
Kivalina AP --> +8.0°F
Eagle AP --> +7.9°F
North Pole --> +7.9°F
Bettles AP --> +7.8°F
Chulitna River --> +7.8°F
College Obsy --> +7.5°F
Anchorage Frcst Ofc --> +7.1°F
Seldovia AP --> +7.0°F
Kodiak AP --> +6.5°F
Anchorage Lake Hood AP --> +5.8°F
Seward AP --> +5.1°F
St Paul Island AP --> +4.9°F
Barrow Post Rogers AP --> +4.9°F
Cordova M K Smith AP --> +4.8°F
Kuparuk --> +4.3°F
Nuiqsut AP --> +4.0°F
Northway AP --> +3.7°F
Skagway AP --> +3.3°F
Ketchikan Intl AP --> +3.2°F
Cold Bay AP --> +3.1°F
Yakutat State AP --> +3.0°F
Pelican --> +2.9°F
Haines AP --> +2.6°F
Gulkana AP --> +2.5°F
Haines 40 NW --> +2.4°F
Annette Island AP --> +2.4°F
Juneau Intl AP --> +2.3°F
Auke Bay --> +1.7°F
Sitka Airport --> +1.4°F

[Sometimesdylan]

There are 0 stations reporting below normal temps.

[MTBLANC]

Yukon and Alaska share the same trend of above normal temperatures. I don't know in Alaska, but in South Yukon we are also missing snow.

 

Here are two pictures I took yesterday while having a 25 km run on the trails behind my home:

http://photos-f.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t51.2885-15/928633_758848204198717_1187021447_n.jpg

 

http://photos-h.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t51.2885-15/10891020_747487491996151_915726995_n.jpg

 

That's not like this everywhere but snow depth is fluctuating between that and 20 cm in my area.

 

It looks like, to be confirmed anyway, that cold could come back at the end of the month. Wait & See !

[Sometimesdylan]

Yeah it's looking a lot better for next week. I've been telling myself that every week, though. Hope the models are right.....

[Sometimesdylan]

You guys getting any snow up there in whitehorse now? Figure some of this rain should make it up there and..... get cold haha

[MTBLANC]

You guys getting any snow up there in whitehorse now? Figure some of this rain should make it up there and..... get cold haha

Yes, we have some snow and we should get more tomorrow (around 10 cm). It is however very mild right now with -1C, and we should get above 0C temperatures between Thursday and Saturday !

[Sometimesdylan]

Postcard from 1985, this is how we're gonna feel next week.http://i.imgur.com/V6NxVVo.jpg

[Glacier]

There are 0 stations reporting below normal temps.

Somehow I doubt that. 

[Sometimesdylan]

Somehow I doubt that. 

that was referring to the temperature departures since november 1st.

[Sometimesdylan]

made it to haines this week! had fun playing in the alpine

http://i.imgur.com/RnS5siz.jpg

[Glacier]

that was referring to the temperature departures since november 1st.

Ah yes. I was thinking last week. I see that it has warmed up this week. No more -50 weather. 

[Sometimesdylan]

from NWS AK:

 

For Southeast Alaska: Cold temperatures and high winds will create blizzard conditions along the Klondike Highway near White Pass with blowing snow and dangerous wind chills. A High Wind Warning for very gusty outflow winds of 60 to 90 mph has been issued for downtown Juneau and Douglas. A Winter Storm Watch for significant snowfall is also in effect Thursday night into Friday across portions of the Central Panhandle and Hyder. This significant snowfall could expand northward to impact Juneau and Hoonah on Friday. It is important to note that this combination of snow and wind is rare in Juneau. Expect disruptions to marine and aviation operations during this event.

[Sometimesdylan]

Had strong winds this week already. Felt like a hurricane when I was walking to work! I got sandblasted, couldn't see 10 feet infront of me.

 

http://www.ktoo.org/2015/02/02/high-winds-cause-damage-around-douglas-harbor/

[Sometimesdylan]

peak winds with this event. i went to our local rock climbing gym near where they were having 117 mph gusts. we had one that was probably 80 or 90 when i got out of my truck and it took the hat from my head! couple windows broken from gravel and doors broken from slamming open, but no trees uprooted or anything. just another windy winter day....

 

 

it's started snowing now! hope we get some good accumulation... looking at the gfs it seems like we're due for some this weekend.

[Glacier]

Kitimat, BC has had over 5 and a half feet of snow in 36 hours this week. 

[Sometimesdylan]

cmon local NWS mets believe in this thing called winter!!!

 

 

AM shift

 

 

STILL SEEMS THAT A THIRD TO A HALF INCH OF LIQUID
EQUIVALENT IS A REASONABLE BET FOR THE AREAS ACROSS THE NORTH THAT
SHOULD SEE ALL SNOW UNTIL AT LEAST MONDAY MORNING. NAM VALUES MUCH
HIGHER BUT IT IS THE CURRENT OUTLIER. USING A REASONABLE SNOW
RATIO YIELDS 3-8" ACROSS THE AREA CONSERVATIVELY, WITH YAKUTAT ON
THE HIGH END. ONLY POSSIBLE MONKEY WRENCHES ARE THE MODELS NOT
HANDLING THE COLD AIR RETREAT WELL (TOO SLOW...NOT LIKELY)

 

PM shift

 

 

RIGHT NOW...DEEP LAYER SWLY FLOW IS
OVER THE AREA ALOFT...AND THIS IS OVERRUNNING THE INTENSE ARCTIC
AIRMASS OVER THE AREA. EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES/TROFS ARE ALSO BRINGING
IN BANDS OF PRECIP TO THE AREA. MODELS UNDERESTIMATED THE
INTENSITY OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASS...AND THERE WILL BE FAIRLY STRONG
LOW-MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS OVER THE NRN HALF OF THE AREA TONIGHT
AND SUN. THIS WILL LEAD TO PERIODS OF RATHER HEAVY SNOWFALL OVER
THE NRN AREAS TONIGHT AND SUN...WITH THE MOST SNOW AROUND THE
PAJN-PAGS AREAS. DECIDED TO ISSUE WINTER STORM WARNINGS FOR THE
PAHN/PAGS/PAOH AND PAJN AREAS. THE SOUTHERN 3 START RIGHT
AWAY...AND THE PAHN ONE STARTS AT 6 AM SUN. COULD SEE UP TO 15
INCHES OF SNOW IN THE WARNING AREAS BY THE TIME THEY END SUN.

 

local mets saying "winter is over" 

http://juneauempire.com/outdoors/2015-01-23/forecasters-winter-over