Avalanche
12-24″ of new snow has fallen on top of weak snowpack layers in Colorado in the past 24 hours.
Avalanche danger is rated as HIGH near and above treeline.
* AVALANCHE DANGER...IS HIGH NEAR AND ABOVE TREELINE AND
CONSIDERABLE ELSEWHERE.
- NOAA Denver, CO today
A Winter Storm Warning continues for Colorado today forecasting another 3-6″ of snow today for snowfall totals around 8-14″.
* SNOW ACCUMULATION...ADDITIONAL 3 TO 6 INCHES WITH STORM TOTAL
SNOWFALL RANGING FROM 8 TO 16 INCHES.
- NOAA Denver, CO today
“Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist in the Vail and Summit County and the Front Range zones. Human-triggered avalanches are very likely near and above treeline. One to two feet of new and wind-blown snow are loading weak layers deeper in the snowpack. Multiple parties triggered avalanches in the last two days and CAIC forecasters reported natural avalanche activity this morning. It is possible to trigger avalanche from lower down on slopes, from adjacent slopes, or from a distance. You can reduce your risk of being caught in a deadly avalanche by staying off of and out from under slopes steeper than about 30 degrees. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended.” – CAIC, today
AVALANCHE WARNING for COLORADO:
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
AVALANCHE WARNING
COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER/BOULDER CO
831 AM MST SUN DEC 11 2016
THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE
COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER.
AVALANCHE WARNING FOR...THE FRONT RANGE AND THE VAIL AND SUMMIT
COUNTY ZONES. VERY DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS EXIST. HUMAN
TRIGGERED AVALANCHES ARE VERY LIKELY NEAR AND ABOVE TREELINE.
* TIMING...BEGINS AT 0800 TODAY EXPIRES AT 0900 ON 12/12/2016
* AFFECTED AREAS...FRONT RANGE AND VAIL AND SUMMIT COUNTY ZONES
INCLUDING THE MEDICINE BOW MOUNTAINS, NEVER SUMMER MOUNTAINS,
FRONT RANGE, FRONT RANGE (INDIAN PEAKS), PIKES PEAK, WILLIAMS
FORK, TEN MILE RANGE, GORE RANGE, AND VAIL
* AVALANCHE DANGER...IS HIGH NEAR AND ABOVE TREELINE AND
CONSIDERABLE ELSEWHERE.
* REASON...TWO FEET OF NEW AND WINDBLOWN SNOW OVER THE PAST THREE
DAYS HAVE OVERLOADED WEAK LAYERS IN THE SNOWPACK.
* PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...TRAVEL IN AVALANCHE TERRAIN
IS NOT RECOMMENDED. IT IS POSSIBLE TO TRIGGER AVALANCHES FROM
LOWER DOWN ON SLOPES, FROM ADJACENT SLOPES AND FROM A DISTANCE.
YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR RISK OF BEING CAUGHT IN A DEADLY AVALANCHE BY
STAYING OFF OF AND OUT FROM UNDER SLOPES STEEPER THAN ABOUT 30
DEGREES.
WINTER STORM WARNING for COLORADO:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
344 AM MST SUN DEC 11 2016
GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS-
WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS-
344 AM MST SUN DEC 11 2016
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS
EVENING...
* LOCATIONS INCLUDE THE CITIES OF...ASPEN...VAIL...SNOWMASS...
CRESTED BUTTE...TAYLOR PARK...MARBLE.
* TIMING...PERIODS OF SNOW, HEAVY AT TIMES, WILL CONTINUE THIS
MORNING. SNOW WILL DECREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS
AFTERNOON.
* SNOW ACCUMULATION...ADDITIONAL 3 TO 6 INCHES WITH STORM TOTAL
SNOWFALL RANGING FROM 8 TO 16 INCHES.
* WINDS...WEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.
* IMPACTS...EXPECT ICY AND SNOWPACKED ROADS...ESPECIALLY OVER
VAIL...TENNESSEE...AND MCCLURE PASSES. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW
WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY AT TIMES.
