Colorado Avalanche Information Center -- Boulder

Public Forecast of Mountain Weather and Backcountry Avalanche
Conditions

This is Dale at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center with current
information on mountain weather, snow and avalanche conditions at 6:30
am, Friday, December 29, 2000.

DISCUSSION:

CO remains under NW flow with the jet over the corner of NE CO. This means
strong winds at the mountain top levels over the Front Range but light winds
elsewhere. On Saturday afternoon a weak system will bring a little snow
mainly to the N mtns later Saturday and Sunday.

WEATHER

N Mtns

Friday: Sunny early but becoming partly cloudy. Winds NW/10-20 G30s,
though Tenmile and Front Ranges will see stronger winds, NW/20-30 G50.
Highs 15 to 25. Friday night: Mostly cloudy. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Lows
5 to 15. Saturday: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers, 0-3". Winds
NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 18 to 28.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers, 0-2". Winds NW-N/15-25
G40s. Highs 12 to 22.

C Mtns

Friday: Sunny early, becoming partly cloudy in afternoon. Winds
NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 17 to 27.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Lows 5 to 15.
Saturday: Mostly cloudy, scattered snow showers, 0-2" especially in
the afternoon. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 20 to 30. Sunday: Mostly
cloudy, widely scattered snow showers, 0-2". Winds NW-N/10-20 G40s.
Highs 15 to 25.

S Mtns

Friday: Sunny. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 22 to 32.  Friday night:
Partly cloudy. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Lows 5 to 15. Saturday: Mostly
cloudy, chance for snow showers over night on N side of San Juans.
Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 20 to 30. Sunday: Mostly cloudy to partly
cloudy, chance for snow showers on N side of San Juans. Winds
NW-N/10-20 G30s. Highs 19 to 29.

SNOWPACK

Explosive-control work by ski areas continues to produce a few slab
releases. On Thursday Winter Park and Aspen Highlands reported small
slabs. In the past few days the lack of snow and blowing snow along
with mild temperatures has eased the threat of avalanches. This is not
from a overall strengthening of the pack, but from a relaxing of
stress. Slabs are losing cohesion from the faceting (sugar
snow)/temperature gradient process. In most mountain areas the snow
cover is continuing to lose strength. Where the snow cover a week or
two ago supported a skier, now skiers are finding they break through.
Reports of collapsing and whumpfing continue from all mountain areas.
On Thursday a little south and west of Red Mountain Pass observers
reported extensive collapsing with cracks propagating 50 yards. The
snowpack is very weak, and though the potential for triggered releases
has eased extra caution is needed on steeper terrain. Also be alert
for remote trigging of slab avalanches from the bottom of steep
slopes.

The backcountry danger ratings for today:

N&C Mtns & W San Juans: overall MODERATE all elevations and aspects,
the most suspect slopes are those 35 degrees and steeper. Locally in
the Red Mountain Pass area (W San Juans) pockets of CONSIDERABLE still
lurk. E San Juans: Generally LOW with isolated areas of unstable
slabs, especially in wind-drifted areas.

The snow pack's weak layers will persist long into the future. The
avalanche danger will increase with every load of new snow. To be safe
backcountry travelers will have to pay close attention to the snow
pack and be patient enough to avoid steep slopes.  / Atkins