Northern Mountains

This is Dale in the Avalanche Center at 3:05 pm, Wednesday, March 19,
2003.
DISCUSSION
Wrap around moisture continues to flow into mountains and will fuel
moderate snows in the N mtns through the rest of the afternoon and
then quickly decrease this evening. The foothills will even see snow
end this afternoon. In other mountain areas and on the west slope,
only scattered snow showers and thinning clouds as high pressure
builds to the west. On Thursday lingering moisture over the N mtns
will keep clouds and showers in the forecast. C&S mtns will see
partial clearing tonight, but clouds increase again on Thursday with
scattered showers developing overnight into Friday. The forecast
details:
Northern Mountains
Wed aftn & night: W side, snow showers, 1-4 inches add. E side, snow,
3-6 inches additional. Most of the snow will come this afternoon.
Decreasing winds above treeline, becoming V/5-15 by morning. Lows 10
to 20.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy, scattered showers on higher peaks. Winds
V/5-15. Highs 25 to 35.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers. Winds NW/5-15 G25.
Highs 25 to 35.
SNOWPACK
Snow reports and avalanches tell a tale of two situations: the haves
and the have-nots. New snow in the last 24 hours: Telluride, 1 inch;
Beaver Creek, 2; Aspen Highlands, 3; Vail, Snowmass, Lake City, and
Wolf Creek, 4; Copper and Wolf Creek Pass, 7; Breckenridge and
Monarch, 11; Keystone, 11.5; ABasin, 22; Loveland 28; Eldora, 35;
Winter Park, 43.5 inches! During the day today the Front Range sites
have typically seen 1-2 inches of snow per hour. Elsewhere snowfall
has been much less.
The tale of the haves and have-nots mean 2 basic avalanche situations.
First is the Front Range and Summit County areas where storm totals
since Monday are in the 40 to 80 inch range. Easterly winds at the
higher elevations have also caused blowing snow. The Avalanche Danger
in the Front Range is rated EXTREME all elevations and aspects.
Avalanches are certain from the tops of the high alpine peaks to low
elevation valleys. The most suspect slopes will be those S to W
aspects. Avalanches in unusual places including the Foothills and off
the roofs of buildings and homes are expected. Roof avalanches can be
very damaging (and even deadly), especially to someone under the
eaves.
Sunshine on Thursday will mean more avalanches especially on the sunny
aspects at all elevations as the cold snow quickly warms. Avalanches
off steep rocky areas are expected. The danger in the 10 Mile and Gore
Ranges is HIGH. Backcountry travel is not recommended. Call CDOT
recorded hotlines before attempting to drive into the mountains
(303.639.1111) Many mountain roads in the Front Range are closed.
The backcountry avalanche danger ratings:
N mtns: ... Front Range, EXTREME; and in the 10 Mile & Gore Range,
HIGH. An [20]Avalanche Warning remains in effect for the Front Range
from Wyoming to Kenosha Pass and also for the Tenmile and Gore Ranges
in and around Summit County.
Second are the have-nots and these are the rest of the mountains where
relatively little snow has fallen. In the rest of the N mtns...this
means locally in the Steamboat and Flattops zones the danger is
MODERATE. Triggered avalanches are possible and normal backcountry
precautions are adequate.
Atkins

Central Mountains

This is Dale in the Avalanche Center at 3:05 pm, Wednesday, March 19,
2003.
DISCUSSION
Wrap around moisture continues to flow into mountains and will fuel
moderate snows in the N mtns through the rest of the afternoon and
then quickly decrease this evening. The foothills will even see snow
end this afternoon. In other mountain areas and on the west slope,
only scattered snow showers and thinning clouds as high pressure
builds to the west. On Thursday lingering moisture over the N mtns
will keep clouds and showers in the forecast. C&S mtns will see
partial clearing tonight, but clouds increase again on Thursday with
scattered showers developing overnight into Friday. The forecast
details:
Central Mountains
Wed aftn & night: W side, scattered showers; E side, snow showers, 2-4
inches add. Most of the snow will come this afternoon. Decreasing
winds above treeline, becoming V/5-15 by midnight. Lows 10 to 20.
Thursday: Partly cloudy early, increasing afternoon clouds. Winds
V/5-15. Highs 25 to 35.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers. Winds W-NW/5-15 G25.
Highs 25 to 35.
SNOWPACK
Snow reports and avalanches tell a tale of two situations: the haves
and the have-nots. New snow in the last 24 hours: Telluride, 1 inch;
Beaver Creek, 2; Aspen Highlands, 3; Vail, Snowmass, Lake City, and
Wolf Creek, 4; Copper and Wolf Creek Pass, 7; Breckenridge and
Monarch, 11; Keystone, 11.5; ABasin, 22; Loveland 28; Eldora, 35;
Winter Park, 43.5 inches! During the day today the Front Range sites
have typically seen 1-2 inches of snow per hour. Elsewhere snowfall
has been much less. The tale of the haves and have-nots mean 2 basic
avalanche situations.
First is the Front Range and Summit County areas where storm totals
since Monday are in the 40 to 80 inch range. Easterly winds at the
higher elevations have also caused blowing snow. The Avalanche Danger
in the Front Range is rated EXTREME all elevations and aspects.
Avalanches are certain from the tops of the high alpine peaks to low
elevation valleys. The most suspect slopes will be those S to W
aspects. Avalanches in unusual places including the Foothills are
expected. Sunshine on Thursday will mean more avalanches especially on
the sunny aspects at all elevations as the cold snow quickly warms.
Avalanches off steep rocky areas are expected. The danger in the Ten
Mile and Gore Ranges is HIGH. An [20]Avalanche Warning remains in
effect, and backcountry travel is not recommended. Call CDOT recorded
hotlines before attempting to drive into the mountains (303.639.1111)
Many mountain roads in the Front Range are closed. The backcountry
avalanche danger ratings:
Second are the have-nots and those are are the rest of the mountains
where relatively little snow has fallen.
In the C mtns: ... Sawatch, Aspen, & Grand Mesa zones, MODERATE with
areas of CONSIDERABLE near and above treeline, especially on steep
leeward slopes which in this storm generally face S to W. Below
treeline, MODERATE. Backcountry travelers should use extra caution and
be alert of slab avalanche conditions on wind-drifted slopes and
gullies. Locally in the Crested Butte zone, MODERATE near and above
treeline; LOW below treeline.
Atkins

Southern Mountains

This is Dale in the Avalanche Center at 3:10pm, Wednesday, March 19,
2003.
DISCUSSION
Wrap around moisture continues to flow into mountains and will fuel
moderate snows in the N mtns through the rest of the afternoon and
then quickly decrease this evening. The foothills will even see snow
end this afternoon. In other mountain areas and on the west slope,
only scattered snow showers and thinning clouds as high pressure
builds to the west. On Thursday lingering moisture over the N mtns
will keep clouds and showers in the forecast. C&S mtns will see
partial clearing tonight, but clouds increase again on Thursday with
scattered showers developing overnight into Friday. The forecast
details:
Southern Mountains
Wed aftn & night: Becoming partly cloudy, though showers may linger on
N side into the evening, T-3 inches add. Most of the snow will come
this afternoon. In the Sangre de Cristos moderate snows will continue
into this evening, 3-6 inches add. Decreasing winds above treeline,
becoming V/5-15 by morning. Lows 10 to 15.
Thursday: Partly cloudy early, increasing afternoon clouds. Winds
W/5-15. Highs 29 to 34.
Friday: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers. Winds W/5-15 G25. Highs
30 to 35.
SNOWPACK
Snow reports and avalanches tell a tale of two situations: the haves
and the have-nots. New snow in the last 24 hours: Telluride, 1 inch;
Beaver Creek, 2; Aspen Highlands, 3; Vail, Snowmass, Lake City, and
Wolf Creek, 4; Copper and Wolf Creek Pass, 7; Breckenridge and
Monarch, 11; Keystone, 11.5; ABasin, 22; Loveland 28; Eldora, 35;
Winter Park, 43.5 inches! During the day today the Front Range sites
have typically seen 1-2 inches of snow per hour. Elsewhere snowfall
has been much less. The tale of the haves and have-nots mean 2 basic
avalanche situations.
First is the Front Range and Summit County areas where storm totals
since Monday are in the 40 to 80 inch range. Easterly winds at the
higher elevations have also caused blowing snow. The Avalanche Danger
in the Front Range is rated EXTREME all elevations and aspects.
Avalanches are certain from the tops of the high alpine peaks to low
elevation valleys. The most suspect slopes will be those S to W
aspects. Avalanches in unusual places including the Foothills are
expected. Sunshine on Thursday will mean more avalanches especially on
the sunny aspects at all elevations as the cold snow quickly warms.
Avalanches off steep rocky areas are expected. The danger in the 10
Mile and Gore Ranges is HIGH.An [20]Avalanche Warning remains in
effect and ackcountry travel is not recommended. Call CDOT recorded
hotlines before attempting to drive into the mountains (303.639.1111)
Many mountain roads in the Front Range are closed.
Second are the have-nots and these are the rest of the mountains where
relatively little snow has fallen. In the S mtns: ... San Juans,
MODERATE; however, locally in the Wolf Creek Pass area pockets of
CONSIDERABLElurk on all aspects and elevations. Strong winds today
have resulted in several natural soft slab avalanches, even on
windward slopes. Watch out for buried weak layers in the top 1 to 3
feet of the snow pack that could fail under the additional weight of a
backcountry traveler.
We have no observers in the Sangre de Cristos, but the danger is
likely HIGH from upslope snows, and backcountry travelers would be
wise to avoid all steep slopes.
Atkins