March 2023 Forecasts And Discussions

[PortKells]

Something a bit historical I found interesting is that during the big Snows of Christmas 2008 we received about double the snowpack that my dad's house received at 150 M elevation in Lynn Valley North Vancouver.
But all our snow was gone by the end of February whereas his snow was still sticking significantly in the forested areas well into April maybe even the beginning of May.
In the city if you have a tree the snow under the tree is gone almost instantaneously when it's mild, but I guess having a fully forested area affects the snowpack in a significantly different way, perhaps simply by trapping the cold air.

That's why our mountain snowpack are often gone before summer even gets going with all the clear cut logging. The excessive solar radiation kills it.

[walthz]

That's why our mountain snowpack are often gone before summer even gets going with all the clear cut logging. The excessive solar radiation kills it.

Okay I'm not a confrontational person and I really hate to say this, but our snowpack is never gone in the mountains before summer gets going. I happened to go for a hike during the heat Dome up to the first Peak behind Seymour and there was snow pack starting at the parking lot and about 20 ft depth adjacent to the peak.
But yes clear cutting is a problem. This was at the end of June if I'm not mistaken.

If you want to remember years when we had almost no snow pack it was the mid 80s through to most of the 90s because I was an avid skier at that time.

[Typeing3]

Okay I'm not a confrontational person and I really hate to say this, but our snowpack is never gone in the mountains before summer gets going. I happened to go for a hike during the heat Dome up to the first Peak behind Seymour and there was snow pack starting at the parking lot and about 20 ft depth adjacent to the peak.
But yes clear cutting is a problem. This was at the end of June if I'm not mistaken.

If you want to remember years when we had almost no snow pack it was the mid 80s through to most of the 90s because I was an avid skier at that time.

Most years the snowpack >1000m lasts until May/June.

But yes certainly there are exceptions to the rule. A couple years in the 80s and 90s as you mention; going further back, '76/77 was also a disaster. And in recent times, we all remember '09/10 and '14/15.

[HarrisonSasquatchWx]

Okay I'm not a confrontational person and I really hate to say this, but our snowpack is never gone in the mountains before summer gets going. I happened to go for a hike during the heat Dome up to the first Peak behind Seymour and there was snow pack starting at the parking lot and about 20 ft depth adjacent to the peak.
But yes clear cutting is a problem. This was at the end of June if I'm not mistaken.

If you want to remember years when we had almost no snow pack it was the mid 80s through to most of the 90s because I was an avid skier at that time.

So l guess we don't see the snow pack that's hidden on the north side under the canopy of trees?

[Typeing3]

So l guess we don't see the snow pack that's hidden on the north side under the canopy of trees?

Nope... oftentimes when the mountains look bare it's just a lack of snow on the trees. Plenty of snow on the ground.

[HarrisonSasquatchWx]

Most years the snowpack >1000m lasts until May/June.

But yes certainly there are exceptions to the rule. A couple years in the 80s and 90s as you mention; going further back, '76/77 was also a disaster. And in recent times, we all remember '10/11 and '14/15.

Oh don't remind me Tscared wasn't it the 15/16 winter? that was horrible the forum was dead for weeks.
I'm thinking we're due for another one of those l hope not.

[Typeing3]

Oh don't remind me Tscared wasn't it the 15/16 winter? that was horrible the forum was dead for weeks.

2014-15 was worse than 2015-16 actually. They were both bad of course.

Cypress Mountain in February 2015:

vancouver-no-snow-20150209-cypress-mountain-feb-9-2015.jpg

On the topic of '15/16 though... we had a mid-April heatwave in 2016 with temps up to 30c in Pitt Meadows!

[walthz]

So l guess we don't see the snow pack that's hidden on the north side under the canopy of trees?

That is absolutely true with all of our mountains near the coast. I do a lot of hiking and I am quite often shocked as to the quantities of snow that I encounter even into the summer months in places where I would think it would have already melted.

[HarrisonSasquatchWx]

2014-15 was worse than 2015-16 actually. They were both bad of course.

Cypress Mountain in February 2015:
vancouver-no-snow-20150209-cypress-mountain-feb-9-2015.jpg


On the topic of '15/16 though... we had a mid-April heatwave in 2016 with temps up to 30c in Pitt Meadows!

O.k. somehow 15/16 stung the most unless we recieved something in Nov. 2014 that at least didn't put it in the dumpster fire that 15/16 was. l remember that April/16 mini heat dome it was absolutely insane l do recall the cool down was some decent showers, l was in Mission at the time l went to work on the Sunday it was mid to upper 20's by Monday morning nice cooling showers moved it.

[wetcoast91]

I saw a fly today....winter over ?

Fork it!

[HarrisonSasquatchWx]

Fork it!

Salt and pepper on that for you El Nino.

[Roberts Creeker]

That's decent Walt a week later wow,
need a contest for last snow pile standing.
I just find it interesting most of us recieved the same amount of snow.
Just the duration some areas hang on intrigues me
and this past week the weather was pretty much the same from Vancouver to the central valley to study this abit.

Speaking of contests, is there a winner?

[HarrisonSasquatchWx]

Speaking of contests, is there a winner?

I assume we all won in terms of event and everyone's snow totals.

[Typeing3]

O.k. somehow 15/16 stung the most unless we recieved something in Nov. 2014 that at least didn't put it in the dumpster fire that 15/16 was. l remember that April/16 mini heat dome it was absolutely insane l do recall the cool down was some decent showers, l was in Mission at the time l went to work on the Sunday it was mid to upper 20's by Monday morning nice cooling showers moved it.

Winter 2015/16: We had a cool/active December in 2015. Was good for the snowpack. Rest of the winter we torched, other than a minor a brush with snow one morning in January 2016.

Winter 2014/15: We had a cold snap in late November with a fairly sharp arctic front and some snow. Rest of the winter was an absolute crapfest.

[HarrisonSasquatchWx]

Most years the snowpack >1000m lasts until May/June.

But yes certainly there are exceptions to the rule. A couple years in the 80s and 90s as you mention; going further back, '76/77 was also a disaster. And in recent times, we all remember '09/10 and '14/15.

Speaking of that horrible 10/11 winter two things kept me happy and busy that winter the up coming Olympics and the awesome season the Knuckleheads were having that season.