WIND_OPERATION_TASK.txt

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Task: WIND_OPERATION_TASK

Inputs:
- Short-range wind field graphics, with 700 mb preferred.
- Models may include HRDPS, RDPS, and GFS.
- Forecast coverage across models and UTC times may be uneven.

Goal:
Assess short-term (roughly next 2 days) wind speed trends over Whistler alpine terrain and determine whether wind poses a credible risk to alpine lift operations. Keep this task focused on wind and operational exposure rather than broader precipitation or tactical powder decision synthesis.
Refer to Whistler sensor station data and recent alpine lift history to determine whether real-world wind/operations trends are consistent with model expectations.

Analysis focus:
1. Wind speed trend (roughly 0-36h)
   - Is wind strengthening, weakening, or steady?
   - Approximate timing of peak winds.
   - Distinguish brief spikes from sustained high-wind periods.

2. Alpine operational risk
   - Classify impact as:
     - LOW: unlikely to affect alpine lifts
     - MARGINAL: possible delays or partial openings
     - HIGH: likely alpine closures
   - Consider wind magnitude, duration, and persistence.
   - Note that Whistler alpine normally close if wind speed > 75km/h, especially when sustained rather than isolated gust-driven spikes.

3. Model agreement
   - Do models agree on peak wind magnitude and timing?
   - Distinguish minor timing/strength differences from structural disagreement.

Operational nuance:
- Do not treat avalanche-control difficulty as a routine standalone reason to assume alpine will remain closed.
- If lift-operating conditions are otherwise workable, assume patrol will generally make a serious effort to open alpine terrain.
- Also consider avalanche-control difficulty as an operational constraint.
- If overnight snowfall is heavy (roughly >35 cm) and forecast wind remains elevated through the following morning alpine-opening window, or meaningful precipitation continues into that same window, increase operational risk because patrol may have greater difficulty completing avalanche control in time for full alpine opening.
- In this setup, explicitly note that alpine may open late, partially, or not fully, not only because of direct wind exposure, but also because avalanche control may remain incomplete.
- If the operation-risk signal is elevated for this reason, give a brief note in the summary that Blackcomb may be operationally favored over Whistler because avalanche control on the Whistler side is often more complex.

Decision logic:
- If all models indicate LOW or MARGINAL winds, finalize assessment without requesting additional images.
- If any model indicates sustained HIGH winds with potential alpine impact,
  request the minimum additional wind images needed to confirm the risk window.

Notes:
- Focus on trend and decision relevance, not exact wind speed values.
- If recent lift history already shows non-openings of major alpine lifts under observed winds, say so explicitly as operational support.
- Keep uncertainty explicit and conservative.
- Do not provide avalanche safety or travel advice; keep any avalanche-control discussion strictly limited to lift-opening / operations risk.