This is Dale at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center with current
information on mountain weather, snow and avalanche conditions posted
at 7:10 am, Sunday, March 18, 2001.

DISCUSSION

High pressure to our west has CO under relatively moist NW flow that
is fueling some snow showers over the N mtns this morning. Expect
showers to spread to most mountain areas today, typical of afternoon
spring-time conditions. Winds over the N mtns late this afternoon will
increase and cause some blowing snow. By later Monday the high
pressure moves over the region but with lots of clouds; however, the
warmer air will limit precipitation.

WEATHER

N mtns

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, scattered showers, T-3". Winds NW/10-20 G30s,
but late afternoon over Front, Tenmile and Gore Ranges NW/20-30 G50.
Highs 18 to 28. Sun night: Mostly cloudy, T-3" add. Winds NW/20-30
G50. Light winds below treeline. Lows 10 to 20. Monday: Mostly cloudy,
isolated snow showers. Winds NW-W/10-20 G30s. Highs 25 to 35.

C mtns

Sunday: Becoming mostly cloudy, scattered showers, especially this
afternoon, T-2".  Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 20 to 30. Sun night:
Mostly cloudy, T-2" add. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Lows 10 to 20. Monday:
Mostly cloudy, isolated snow showers. Winds NW-W/10-20 G30s. Highs 27
to 37.

S mtns

Sunday: Becoming mostly cloudy, widely scattered afternoon showers,
0-2".  Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Highs 22 to 32. Sun night: Mostly cloudy,
0-2" add. Winds NW/10-20 G30s. Lows 12 to 22. Monday: Partly cloudy,
though increasing in afternoon with isolated snow showers. Winds
W/10-20 G30. Highs 30 to 40.

SNOWPACK

Early reports of new snow in the past 24 hours are generally in the
1-4 inch range in the N&C mtns. No early reports from the S mtns.
Reduction work with explosives on Saturday afternoon continued to
produce a few avalanches from most mountain areas continuing this
trend of persisting unstable slabs. Observers report the new snows in
the San Juans & around Monarch Pass came in fairly warm and adhered
well to the old snow, however, there are a number weak layers just
below this interface that could produce easy shears. At Montgomery
Pass (N mtns/ near Cameron Pass) observers report easy shears about 18
inches below the surface and also continued collapsing and "whumpfing"
sounds, too.

While the snowpack in many mountain areas continues to show clues of
instabilities, there are at least two areas with deeper and stronger
snow covers. In the N mtns locally around Steamboat and Rabbit Ears
Pass our observer reports the snow is generally stable below treeline.
In the S mtns the snow cover around Wolf Creek Pass in the East San
Juans is also relatively deeper and stronger than the snow cover in
the W San Juans.

Backcountry travelers should continue to use extra caution in most
mountain areas, if venturing onto steeper slopes. This afternoon
increasing winds over the N mtns will cause some blowing snow that
will produce thin and tender soft slabs. Triggered avalanches remain
possible to even probable in most mountain areas. The most suspect
slopes are those steep slopes, generally 35 degrees and steeper with
recent wind-drifted snow.

Today's backcountry avalanche danger ratings are:

N mtns: Front Range, Tenmile and Gore Ranges, CONSIDERABLE near and
above treeline; MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE at lower
elevations. Rest of N mtns: MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE all
elevations and aspects. C Mtns: MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE
all elevations and aspects, except Monarch Pass area CONSIDERABLE
overall. W San Juans: MODERATE with pockets of CONSIDERABLE near and
above treeline. E San Juans: overall MODERATE.

Atkins