Mountain Weather and Avalanche Report This is Nick at the CAIC with current information on mountain weather, snow, and avalanche conditions recorded at 0845 am on Sunday, March 1, 1998. _SYNOPSIS_ Colo is between a large, low pressure system in the upper mid-west and a ridge of high pressure over the Great Basin. This is producing a cold NW flow over the mountains. By Monday the flow begins to back to the WNW, brings in warmer temperatures & decreases in velocity. This also opens the door for more moisture to come in from the west. By Monday nite, the ridge of high pressure moves over us but soon flattens so look for increasing westerly winds then as the jet stream settles in over Colo. The forecast details: _WEATHER_ _Sunday: _Nrn Mtns, increasing clouds with snow showers to lite snow by aftn, 1-3" poss at Steamboat & the Flattops; Ctrl Mtns, turning mostly cloudy, showers, T-2"; Srn Mtns, clear-ptly cloudy, few isolated showers poss in Wrn San Juans but no accumulations are expected there. Winds in the Nrn & Ctrl Mtns near & above timberline, NW/15-25 g40; Srn Mtns NW/5-15 g20s. Temperature highs Nrn & Ctrl Mtns 2-12, Srn Mtns 8-18 degrees. _Sunday night:_ Nrn & Ctrl Mtns, mostly cloudy, snow showers to some lite orographic snow , 1-3". Srn Mtns partly cloudy. Winds Nrn & Ctrl Mtns NW/15-25 g40 over the higher elevations; Srn Mtns NW/10-20 w/few g30. Overnite lows Nrn & Ctrl Mtns nr zero to 10; Srn Mtns ­5 to +5 degrees & colder in the valleys. _Monday:_ Nrn & Ctrl Mtns mostly cloudy w/scattered snow showers, T-2" possible. Srn Mtns, clear-partly cloudy. Winds, NW backing to the WNW in the afternoon at 5-15 g20. Temperature highs 10-20 degrees. _SNOWPACK_ With strong winds over the higher elevations, some blowing and drifting snow, and cold temperatures to inhibit stabilization, I will hold the backcountry avalanche danger rated [1]CONSIDERABLE with areas of [2]HIGH in the Nrn & Ctrl Mtns & the western San Juans. In the eastern San Juans around Wolf Ck pass the danger is [3]MODERATE overall. Slopes facing N-E-S that are steeper than 30 degrees are generally weak and triggered avalanches are possible to likely. Some natural avalanche activity may also occur on drifted terrain steeper than 35 degrees, especially where there has been little or no ski pressure this winter. Some 40 avalanches were reported yesterday-several of those came in during the wind/snow event 48hrs ago but some were recent, including a large natural event above timberline near Aspen Highlands on a NE aspect that ran almost 4,000 vertical feet, and an explosive-triggered slide near Breckenridge that broke into the deep, lower layers of the snowpack. Another event almost caught a group of people in Herman Gl near I-70, east of the Eisenhower Tunnel. They triggered the slide from below a steep pitch near treeline and it almost overran them. If you encounter cracking and collapsing in the snowpack around you, avoid terrain steeper than 30 degrees and avoid the compression zone under steeper slopes above you. Remember, the avalanche danger is not expected to abate soon with the cold temperatures, strong winds at the high elevations and some new snow in the forecast that will likely create fresh soft slabs in lee areas facing NE-S. The snow conditions we've reported are based on observations and field data. Use this information for guidance only. You may find different conditions in the backcountry and should travel accordingly. Logan Colorado Avalanche Information Center