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Snowboarder killed in Colorado avalanche in 4th slide death in West this week


cpr.org
Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:03 UTC
An avalanche in the Middle Fork of Middle Creek drainage where a backcountry tourer was killed on February 20, 2025
© Silverton Medical Rescue via the Colorado Avalanche Information CenterAn avalanche in the Middle Fork of Middle Creek drainage where a backcountry tourer was killed on February 20, 2025
A snowboarder was killed in an avalanche in the mountains of southwestern Colorado on Thursday, the fourth person to die in an avalanche in the U.S. West this week after a string of winter storms.

Sarah Steinwand, 41, of Crested Butte, Colorado, was caught in the debris of the avalanche in the backcountry near Silverton, but a man who was skiing with the snowboarder escaped the snow slide, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said. Staff from a nearby backcountry hut noticed the avalanche, alerted rescuers and helped the skier dig Steinwand out of the debris, it said.

Three people died in avalanches Monday — one person near Lake Tahoe in California and two backcountry skiers in Oregon's Cascade Mountains.

The avalanche danger was elevated for most of Colorado's mountains earlier this week but conditions have improved somewhat in some areas.


AP
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Snowflake

Best of the Web: Japanese ski resort receives staggering 3 meters of snow in 3 days


SkiAsia.com
Sat, 22 Feb 2025 13:44 UTC
A buried chairlift at Kagura Ski Resort on February 19, 2025.
A buried chairlift at Kagura Ski Resort on February 19, 2025.
Ski resorts in Yuzawa Town in Japan's Niigata prefecture have endured one of the most chaotic weeks in recent memory, with strong winds and heavy snowfalls burying chairlifts and forcing lift closures.

Kagura Ski Resort bore the brunt of the storms, reporting three metres of snow in just three days, forcing a total suspension of lift operations on Wednesday and Thursday and partial closures at other times.

GALA Yuzawa ski resort was closed for the day on Friday - the first time is has ever completely closed due to heavy snowfall, according to a post on Snow Japan.

A Facebook post from Kagura on February 20, which has now had more than 4,000 engagements, apologised for the interruption and pleaded with followers for their understanding.


Comment: Other heavy snowfall reports for the country in February:

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Ice Cube

Frozen waterfall wows Florina, Greece amidst Storm Coral's frigid grip


Greek City Times
Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:59 UTC
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A breathtaking spectacle of nature has captivated residents of Florina as a local waterfall froze solid amidst the icy grip of Storm Coral.

The plunging cascade in the Polypotamos area transformed into a shimmering ice sculpture, creating a scene straight out of a winter fairytale.

Overnight temperatures in Florina plummeted to a bone-chilling -12°C, part of a widespread cold snap brought on by the storm. According to Meteo, Neos Kafkasos in Florina registered the lowest temperature at -11.6°C. Other areas experiencing extreme lows include Seli, Imathia (-11.3°C), and Ochiro, Nevrokopi (-10.7°C).

The frozen waterfall has become a popular attraction for locals, who have braved the frigid conditions to witness the stunning natural phenomenon.

Storm Coral continues to impact Greece, bringing not only freezing temperatures but also (mention other impacts of the storm, e.g., snow, disruptions to transport). Authorities are urging residents to (mention any safety advice or precautions being issued).


Comment: Meanwhile elsewhere in this region of southeast Europe: Snowstorm hits Turkey: Flights delayed, ski resorts see record snow

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Snowflake Cold

Snowstorm hits Turkey: Flights delayed, ski resorts see record snow

Vedat Özgür Töre
ftnnews.com
Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:11 UTC
A powerful wave of heavy snowfall
A powerful wave of heavy snowfall and blizzards has swept across Türkiye, closing off transportation access to 2,985 settlements nationwide.
A powerful winter storm sweeping Turkey is bringing flight delays, road closures, and record-breaking snowfall in ski resorts, causing major disruptions for travelers.

The impact of the heavy snowstorm is being felt across multiple regions, from Istanbul's airports to popular winter tourism destinations like Uludağ, Palandöken, and Kartalkaya.

Flights Delayed as Istanbul Struggles with Heavy Snow

The snowstorm severely affected Istanbul's airports, with planes forced to circle above Sabiha Gökçen Airport due to poor runway conditions. The heavy snowfall reduced visibility, causing significant delays and forcing some flights to divert to alternative airports.

As the snowfall intensified on the evening of February 20, Sabiha Gökçen Airport had to temporarily suspend operations to allow runway and taxiway clearing. Snow removal vehicles worked extensively to remove ice and snow, ensuring the runway was safe for landings and takeoffs. During this period, several aircraft were left circling in holding patterns over Istanbul, awaiting clearance to land.

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Snowflake Cold

Montreal breaks snowfall record with 75 cm (29.5 inches) of snow in 4 days, residents asked to stay home


cbc.ca
Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:19 UTC
The City of Montreal advised residents to work from home on Monday, if possible, and leave their houses only for essential travel and use public transportation.
© Steve Rukavina/CBCThe City of Montreal advised residents to work from home on Monday, if possible, and leave their houses only for essential travel and use public transportation.
Montreal is digging out from unprecedented back-to-back storms, with more snow having fallen between last Thursday and Sunday than any four-day period on record.

A total of 75 centimetres of snow fell on the city when taking into account the two storms, according to Gina Ressler, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. It's the most since at least 1941, when record-keeping began.

While the city did not break any single-day snowfall records, it's unusual to have major snowstorms a few days apart, she said. It's even rarer to have a blizzard across southern Quebec.

"Usually blizzards happen further up north in the Arctic," Ressler said. "To have that come a couple of days after a major winter storm is very exceptional."

Sunday's storm dropped about 40 centimetres on Montreal and Laval, 53 centimetres of snow on Mirabel and up to 35 centimetres in the Eastern Townships as of 11 a.m. Monday.

"Luckily we don't have any major winter storms on tap for the rest of the week so hopefully we do get into a bit of a break so we can dig ourselves out," Ressler added.

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Snowflake Cold

Mammoth Mountain in California welcomes 3 feet of snow in a day from recent storm

Liam Cavaletto
kmph.com
Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:51 UTC
mmmmm
© Cody Mathison
The recent storm turned Mammoth Mountain Resort into a snow globe.

Officials with the ski resort have measured 3 feet of snow from Thursday's storm and more is forecasted for Friday.

Emily Van Greuning a communications Manager at Mammoth Mountain the the resort is making sure everything is running smoothly but also welcomes the snow.

"This is Mammoth Mountain's biggest storm of the season thus far. We have currently received over 3 feet of new snow at the summit today and significant additional snowfall is expected to continue through tomorrow before things start to clear over the weekend. Our Operations and Ski Patrol Teams are out on the mountain working diligently to assess conditions and open terrain safely. Our employees and our community are very excited for this. February is really turning on for us here in Mammoth and conditions over the holiday weekend are going to be fantastic."

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Snowflake

Best of the Web: Japan leads the world in snow depths with 6 meters (20 feet) base at Polkus

Rhiannon James
snow-forecast.com
Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:54 UTC
Hakuba Happo One, Japan: 5th February 2025.
Hakuba Happo One, Japan: 5th February 2025.
JAPAN REPORT

Japan continues to top the world's snow depth tables after more huge snowfalls over the past week, with reports of up to 1 metre (40") of snowfall in 24 hours. Niigata continues to post the country's deepest snowpacks—which are about double the most that's lying anywhere else in the world. At Arai Ski Area, near the ski town of Myoko, there is a base depth of 610cm (over 20 feet), with Charmant Hiuchi Ski Area near Itoigawa City coming in second with a 560cm base. Ski areas in Nagano, host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, are also experiencing substantial snow depths, with the renowned resort of Happo-One in the Hakuba Valley boasting 5.5 meters.

The 6m/20 feet Polkus base is believed to be the deepest recorded base worldwide in several years. Japan's ski areas have been experiencing remarkable snowfalls over the past few months.

While much coverage has been given to the northern island of Hokkaido, known for ski areas like Niseko (145/250cm / 58/140"), which currently has every run open, the deepest snow depths are actually being observed in Niigata Prefecture, north of Tokyo on the Japanese mainland.

This region is benefiting from a weather phenomenon known as the Siberian Express, where dry air blowing east across central and eastern Asia hits the Sea of Japan, then rises and releases abundant snowfall upon encountering Japan's mountainous coastline.


Comment: Earlier report from February 4: Record-breaking snowfall hits Hokkaido as cold front sweeps Japan - 120 cms (nearly 4 FEET) of snow in just 12 hours with more heavy falls forecast

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Snowflake

Hokuriku region of Japan experiences record snowfall - 19.6 inches in 12 hours


Japan Today
Sat, 08 Feb 2025 12:47 UTC
A car is covered by snow in Niigata City on Saturday.
© KyodoA car is covered by snow in Niigata City on Saturday.
The strongest cold wave of the season has caused record snowfall in the Hokuriku region since Friday night.

In 12 hours from Friday night to Saturday morning, 50 centimeters of snow fell in Niigata City, and 38 centimeters in Aikawa, Sado City, both of which are the highest ever recorded, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Snow has also fallen in areas that usually get less snow, such as Kyushu, Shikoku and the Pacific side of the Tokai region.

Nagoya observed one centimeter of snow for the first time in about a month.

The maximum amount of snow forecast to fall though Sunday morning is expected to be 80 centimeters in the Kanto-Koshin region, and 70 centimeters in Tohoku, Hokuriku and Kinki regions, the agency said.

On the Sea of ​​Japan side, authorities urged caution against poor visibility due to a whiteout.


Comment: See also this report from February 4 of earlier, exceptional heavy snow in another region of the country: Record-breaking snowfall hits Hokkaido as cold front sweeps Japan - 120 cms (nearly 4 FEET) of snow in just 12 hours with more heavy falls forecast

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Binoculars

Alberta is experiencing an 'invasion' of northern owls: expert

Amir Said
WesternWheel.ca
Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:41 UTC
Great grey owl sightings in central and southern Alberta have spiked this winter in an invasion, or irruption, caused by weather conditions and food availability.
© Amir SaidGreat grey owl sightings in central and southern Alberta have spiked this winter in an invasion, or irruption, caused by weather conditions and food availability.
Sightings of rare owls are on the rise in Alberta, which has many dubbing it Owlberta.

Great grey owls and northern hawk owls, two enigmatic species that are typically difficult to find, are now being seen at an unusually high rate in Alberta, with social media and the internet flooded with photos of them over the last few months.

There's a scientific reason behind the sudden surge in sightings, according to STRIX Ecological Consulting biologist Lisa Takats Priestley.

"We are experiencing an invasion of great grey owls and northern hawk owls in central and southern Alberta," said Priestley, who is Birds Canada's coordinator of the Alberta nocturnal owl population survey.

The invasion, known by researchers as an irruption, is a phenomenon that has brought these birds from remote locations to more developed areas in droves.

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Snowflake

Rare snowfall on the Oregon coast

Teresa Mahoney
Oregonlive.com
Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:03 UTC
Snow in Seaside on the Oregon coast on February 4, 2025.
© Tim VanderipeSnow in Seaside on the Oregon coast on February 4, 2025.
When you think of the Oregon coast in winter, you probably think gray drizzle and king tides.

But the Oregon Coast Range - all the way from Astoria to as far as the Florence area - is under a winter storm warning until Wednesday at 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory for much of northwest Oregon and parts of southwest Washington beginning Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.National Weather Service

The weather service adds to be ready for, "Total snow accumulations between 4 and 10 inches."

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