Weather Notes

Weather Updates

Data on the display screen in the Lodge window is updated continuously. Weather data on BVNordic.ca is uploaded every 2 hours from 6:05 am in the morning until 8:05 pm.
The lodge has a noisy phone line so not every upload is successful. Dial-up internet service for uploading weather data is provided courtesy of Cybernet Communications.

Note to users of the lodge phone: Weather updates are done over the lodge phone line. If you need to use the lodge phone for an emergency while it is trying to upload, just keep trying every 15 to 30 seconds. Once you start using the phone, you will have priority over the computer.

Snow Estimate

Snow is melted before being measured in mm. Water content of fresh snow varies a lot. So a measurement of 1 mm could represent:

  • 1 mm of rain
  • 1 cm of wet snow
  • 2 cm of dry snow
  • 2.5 to 3 cm of powder snow
    Typically, when the temperature is 5 to -10 Celsius, change the precipitation units to cm and double the number.

Temperature Accuracy

The weather station is a carefully calibrated scientific instrument but it sometimes seems to be warmer than that shown on the lodge’s glass thermometers. There are several potential reasons:

  • Temperatures vary across the stadium area, especially the middle versus near the trees. There is also variation due to height above ground.
  • The glass thermometers can be colder because of a cold draft coming out of the nearby forest. The weather station is specially shielded from wind and from radiation loss/gain.
  • The wind chill could be wrong (i.e. the same as temperature) if a buildup of snow prevents the wind cups from turning.
  • The weather station’s snow-melting heater might be warming the temperature sensor – sometimes by up to 2 degrees.
    Yes, the last item seems contrary to the notion of it being a carefully calibrated scientific instrument but that is what the manufacturer said. So, just in case, come prepared for a bit colder than what is shown on the website.