Backcountry Avalanche Forecast for Front Range Issued: 01/17/2011 6:08 AM by Scott Toepfer Avalanche Warning in Effect through 01/19/2011 6:00 AM The avalanche warning for the Front Range and Vail-Summit County zones is extended through Tuesday. Snowfall accumulations measured 12-16" around Loveland and Vail Passes and over two feet in the 10-Mile Range. Highway crews reported natural avalanche activity along I-70 and Berthoud Pass. Strong northwest winds near and above treeline, with gusts into the 90's, are moving storm snow onto lee aspects. Natural and human-triggered slides are likely in avalanche terrain where significant storm and wind-blown snow has accumulated. Twitter 18/01/2011 6:41 AM by John Snook: Avalanche warning thru Tues. HIGH(4) danger on N-E-S aspects where natural & triggered slides are likely. Highlights Westerly winds in the Front Range have been quite strong, but limited snowfall amounts from across the zone this morning. Snowfall a little to the west and south has started to ramp-up at 5 am and this looks to be the pattern for the Front Range today too. Look for continued strong winds and increasing snowfall intensity. Some areas of HIGH avalanche danger are likely to develop. Avalanche Danger The avalanche danger in the Front Range Zone will rise to HIGH (Level 3) on N-NE-E-SE aspects near and above treeline.The danger is CONSIDERABLE (Level 3) below treeline on N-E-S aspects and near and above treeline on S aspects. It is MODERATE (Level 2) on all other aspects and elevations. Snowfall is forecast to ramp upwards today. Expect an increase in avalanche activity. Snow & Avalanche Discussion Fresh wind slabs will be developing today on aspects lee to the westerly winds. There is a good potential for some intense periods of snowfall as the day progresses. The snowfall will likely come with continued strong winds (There was a gust to 92 near Berthoud Pass last nite). I have increased the danger to cover this snow and wind forecast. The watch will also continue but could rapidly escalate to a WARNING if the snow begins to verify. This could be an interesting day in the Front Range Zone. Be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. There are two avalanche issues to consider today. Continued westerly winds and the potential for new snow to rapidly build wind slabs in alpine areas. These could quickly grow to two to three feet deep. They may fail quickly if high precipitation intensities ramp upwards mid-day as the weather forecast is hinting at. There are several buried persistent weak layers in our snowpack. These are older surface facets layers and surface hoar that formed between storms earlier this month. In some areas these are reactive, but don't have very much snow on top of them. The wind has been moving a lot of snow around in the high country and areas with thick slabs on top of one of these layers could be quite dangerous. Weather Discussion for 11,000ft Issued: 01/17/2011 12:57 PM by Scott Toepfer Today's storm starts to wind down a little before sunrise Tuesday. Winds do ease a bit tonight too, but they do remain strong. Some snow showers look to linger into Tuesday morning from about Highway 50 and northward but accumulations look limited after sunrise. On Tuesday skies trend towards clearing, winds also continue to ease, though the San Juan Mountains could see a period of strong north winds during the morning before they too ease by afternoon. This clearing trend is short lived as the next storm moves our way Tuesday night. Look for increasing clouds with snow beginning Wednesday on the now current pattern of northwest flow. This time it looks like a little more moisture reaches into the North San Juan. Winds look to strengthen again, especially along and near the Continental Divide.