Summit County Citizens Voice

Winter makes a late comeback …

High wind and winter storm warnings in northern Colorado. Click to visit the National Weather Service Boulder office website.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Most ski areas in Colorado picked up another few inches of snow overnight, with snow and gusty winds continuing in many areas Tuesday morning. Steamboat benefited the most from a juicy northwest flow, reporting another 9 inches, for a 36-inch storm total.

Considerable to high avalanche danger persists across the backcountry mountains of the entire state, with the most acute danger in the northern San Juan zone, where yet more natural slides are likely. In other areas, triggered releases are likely on most steeper slopes near and above treeline. Check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center for updated forecasts and bulletins.

The north-central mountains, including the Flattops, Sierra Madre and Snow ranges, as well as the Elkhead and Park mountains are under a winter storm warning through 12 p.m. Wednesday, with another foot of snow possible.

Areas farther south and west are only expected to pick up a few inches, but high winds could result in low visibility and dangerous driving conditions across some mountain passes. U.S. Highway 6 over Loveland Pass was closed Tuesday morning by an avalanche and adverse weather conditions. Check www.cotrip.org for the latest highway updates.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for the northern mountains near the Continental Divide and especially along the Front Range and foothills, beginning at 11 p.m. Tuesday and ending 5 a.m. Thursday.

East of the Divide, winds could gust between 80 and 100 mph, with lighter winds west of the Divide. The winds will pick up Tuesday night after sunset and remain strong through Wednesday night. The winds could knock down some trees and cause some power outages.

Filed under: avalanches, climate and weather, Colorado, La Niña, snow, Snow and weather, Summit County snow and weather Tagged: | avlanche danger, Colorado, Colorado snow, Colorado weather, high wind warning