Summit County Citizens Voice

The avalanche danger ranges from moderate in the south San Juans to high in the Steamboat zone. Click for more info.

New snow, high winds combined to increase the risk of snowslides

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Copious amounts of new snow and high winds in Colorado’s north-central mountains have combined to push the avalanche danger into the red zone once again. An avalanche warning in effect for the Steamboat zone and and avalanche watch for the Summit Vail zone, along with a continued high-wind warning through Thursday morning.

The Steamboat area has seen between 3 and 4 feet of snow in the past week, and high winds have built extensive windslabs on north to east to south aspects, where both triggered and natural slides are likely the next few days. Some of the avalanches will be large and destructive. Under the warning, travel is not recommended in avalanche terrain.

Already this week, observers in the Steamboat area triggered small soft slab avalanches on steep southerly aspects.

“Expect soft slabs and loose avalanches that run easily and could run fast and far. These small slides may break down into older snow layers to create large and destructive avalanches. Persistent slabs are gaining strength, but now have a large load on top. Observers still find layers breaking fast and clean,” the CAIC wrote in the warning.

In the Summit-Vail zone, a storm expected to hit late Wednesday evening could also bump the avalanche danger to high, the CAIC said, issuing an avalanche watch for the area. A watch means the danger is expected to increase within 24 hours.

With a strong jet stream, decent moisture and a sharp cold front, the Wednesday night storm could produce a burst of intense snow, and the winds will deposit any new accumulations into tender new slabs atop an already fragile snowpack, leading to the likelihood of human-triggered and natural avalanches Thursday morning. Some recent windspeed reports are online here.

An avalanche watch means that if forecast weather verifies, the avalanche danger will rise to high in the watch area.  This watch is in effect until 12 PM Thursday at which time an update will be provided if avalanche warnings become necessary.

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Filed under: avalanches, climate and weather, Colorado, snow, Snow and weather, Summit County snow and weather Tagged: | avalanche warnings, Colorado snow, Colorado weather, Colorado windstorm