Summit County Citizens Voice

A nice blob of blue over northern Colorado suggests we should pick up several more inches of snow Monday.

Triggered and natural slides possible in the backcountry; more snow Tuesday night

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The local mountains are under a winter weather advisory through 5 p.m. Monday, with another 2 to 5 inches of snow expected to fall as moisture streams into the area in the westerly flow. The snowfall will taper off in the afternoon and into the evening, but gusty winds will continue to blow snow across roads, making for winter-like driving conditions. Chain laws were in effect on many high country roads Monday morning and U.S. Highway 6 over Loveland Pass was closed. Check CDOT’s CoTrip website for the latest information. More watches and warnings are in effect for the mountains of western Colorado.

New snow and winds have also built some tender snow slabs in the backcountry, where the Colorado Avalanche Information Center has rated the avalanche danger as considerable, with a good chance that backcountry travelers could trigger a slide on steeper slopes where the slabs have developed. Some natural avalanches could also occur. Visit the CAIC online for daily zone forecasts.

Snowfall totals from the storm so far include 8 inches at Breckenridge ski area, 7 inches at Copper Mountain and 4 to 6 inches at Loveland, Keystone and A-Basin. The big winner statewide was Wolf Creek, reporting 18 inches of fresh snow in the 48 hours ending Monday morning.

Temperature-wise, winter is definitely here, with highs expected to stay well below freezing through the week. Monday, look for a high of 16 degrees. A southwest flow Tuesday may bump up temperatures by a couple of degrees before the first major blast of Arctic air sweeps into the area Tuesday night. Highs Wednesday and Thursday will only reach the single digits before rebounding nicely into the mid-20s on Friday. Lows Wednesday and Thursday night will drop well below zero, so bundle up for those chilly mornings on the mountain.

That Arctic blast will include some snow, though it’s not clear exactly how much. The Boulder-based National Weather Service forecasters are predicting another 4 to 8 inches for the northern mountains, while the Grand Junction office didn’t forecast specific amounts.

Filed under: avalanches, snow, Snow and weather, Summit County Colorado, Summit County snow and weather Tagged: | Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Colorado avalanches danger, Copper Mountain, Summit County Colorado, Summit County News, Summit County ski conditions, Summit County snow and weather, Winter weather advisory