Cold Then Hot. Pow Then Wet.

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 03/25/2019
Name: Eric Murrow, Evan Ross

Subject: Cold Then Hot. Pow Then Wet.
Aspect: East, South, South West
Elevation: 9,500-12,500

Avalanches:

Few old Wind Slabs out there. Maybe a D2 in the Purple Palace area and near Treasury on easterly and southeasterly slopes. Otherwise small in size, and not too many observed.

Loose wet avalanches are back and making their rounds.  Activity was all on the south half of the compass with a few coming out of hot, rocky east aspects near treeline.  All small in size and didn’t observe any D2’s. For a D2 you would need bigger terrain or for the avalanche to gouge deeper into wet snow.

Skier triggered a very small wet, Wind Slab below treeline on a south aspect at 2pm on a steep short drifted feature.

Weather: Valley fog in CB and lower valleys during the morning. Blue Bird in the Alpine. Moderate westerly winds at upper elevations.

Snowpack: 20-30cm’s of snow on the 3/21 interface. No signs to instability in the upper snowpack. Kept an eye out for thicker wind drifts. Warming temps and wet snow was the main concern.

Photos:

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/25/2019

The unsettled weather is set to move out of the area this morning with cloud cover and a few flurries lingering over the Ruby Range but shortly after sunrise expect mostly clear conditions. A ridge of high-pressure will move into the area today and provide clear skies with increasingly warm temperatures each day until Wednesday. Expect temperatures to reach well into the 40’s, at 11,000 feet, on Tuesday and Wednesday. This looks to be the first real hit of warm weather this spring. Looking towards the end of the week, models are suggesting the next storm system will be slightly delayed; snowfall is expected to begin sometime on Thursday and continues into Friday.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 35 to 40
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, WNW
    Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1″ early AM
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1″ early AM
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 18 to 23
    Winds/Direction: 3 to 13, SW
    Sky Cover: Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0
    Elkton Snow: 0
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 43 to 48
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, SW
    Sky Cover: Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0
    Elkton Snow: 0
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/24/2019

Today we can expect unsettled weather with modest accumulations. Radar returns this morning are showing precipitation moving into western Colorado. Most of the moisture will stay to the north of our area, but it looks like we will squeeze a few inches out of it. Afternoon convective energy may help to stack a few more inches up by the sunset. Monday and Tuesday a ridge of high-pressure develops and brings warm temperatures well above seasonal averages. The end of the work week will bring a strong Pacific storm; we will watch this develop over the next few days but expect a return to winter towards the end of the week.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 30 to 35
    Winds/Direction: 6 to 16, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 2 to 4″
    Elkton Snow: 2 to 4″
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 3″

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 16 to 21
    Winds/Direction: 4 to 14, W
    Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1″
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1″
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1″

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 34 to 39
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
    Irwin Snow: 0″
    Elkton Snow: 0″
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0″

Ruby Range Wind Slabs

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 03/23/2019
Name: Evan Ross

Subject: Ruby Range Wind Slabs
Aspect: East, South East
Elevation: 9,200-11,300

Weather: The clouds did not part and low level moisture continued to produce snowflakes. Winds were gusting and drifting snow. Storm totals where around 10″ on the Ruby Bench in the early afternoon.

Snowpack: The 10″ HST was holding up well on the old crusty snow surfaces facing east and west. Shooting cracks were observed and small Wind Slabs were triggered on wind-loaded terrain near treeling elevations. Managing the terrain traveled for small Wind Slab Avalanches, while conditions in the alpine appeared more concerning. The next time the sun comes out and warms things up, the loose wet avalanche concerns will be back on the table.

Normal Caution and Managing Thin Snowpack Areas Or Trigger Points

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Brush Creek Area
Date of Observation: 03/22/2019
Name: Evan Ross

Subject: Normal Caution and Managing Thin Snowpack Areas Or Trigger Points
Aspect: North East, East, South
Elevation: 10,000-13,000

Avalanches:

Couple of small and fresh loose wet avalanches were seen on some NTL Easterly terrain. Otherwise just the old destruction.

Weather: Partly cloudy with convective type weather. Few snow squalls that didn’t add up to any measurable new snow. About 1″ new snow from last night. Light winds with some moderate gusts.

Snowpack: Variable snowpack hight given the amount of terrain that has avalanched in the last couple weeks. Better off trying to measure HS down in the lower valleys, but you’ll have to make sure there isn’t a big pile of debris down there. Some very thin and small soft slabs at upper elevations, otherwise normal caution. Todays solar and heat was just enough to warm snow surfaces and bake that trace of new snow into the old snow on east to south to west.
Photos:

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft. Saturday, March 23.

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/23/2019

Drier air is moving overhead this morning, while lover level moisture looks to remain trapped below. It will be interesting to see how this pans out for our cloud forecast. Low level clouds and valley fog will be the theme for this morning than we can look towards partly cloudy sky with fewer clouds than yesterday. Convective clouds will move in and out and may even produce a few light snow showers today.

Clouds will start building again late on Saturday as moisture and the chance of more snow showers increases for Saturday night into Sunday. We could see a few inches of new snow add up, but it really isn’t looking great for snow at the moment. A high-pressure ridge takes hold on Monday and we’ll be looking to a hot and dry week coming up.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 28 to 32
    Winds/Direction: 8 to 18 WNW
    Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 18 to 22
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 30 to 35
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

Elkton Study Plot

CB Avalanche Center2018-19 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 03/21/2019
Name: Zach Kinler

Subject: Elkton Study Plot
Aspect:
Elevation: 10,400

Avalanches: No new

Weather: Partly Cloudy to Overcast through day. High topped out ~40F with intense solar during sunny times. Light southerly breeze increasing with clouds and snowfall by 17:00

Snowpack: HS: 264, 2/28 Interface down 110 cm from surface. 2 soft MFcr in upper 20cm which were wet and decaying. 2 ice lenses @ 23 cm and 41 cm from surface. Percolation tubes were widespread and stout above upper lens but more subtle above the lower lens. Moist snow to ~51 cm from surface.

Basal layers looking more like rounds than rounding DH. 1F-P hard and moist.

Snowpack temps near freezing at ground and at surface with mid pack only down to -3.0 C.

Small slightly rounded facets above 2/28 crust. Prying of test columns would produce planar break at this interface but not super concerning.

Photos:

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft. Friday, March 22.

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/22/2019

Well, yesterday evening and last night didn’t go so well for us on the weather front. A convective storm that produced thundersnow in the San Juans yesterday, stayed to our west as it moved up through Colorado. We just caught the edge around sunset with increased winds and a dusting of snow.

Our forecast area gets another chance at snow today as another short wave moves up through Colorado. Snow showers look to pick up around mid-day for a few hours. By this afternoon winds will become more westerly and hopefully, we’ll see some oraghrapics kick off another couple inches of snow. The upper atmosphere looks to dry out for Saturday, while lower level moisture may stay trapped and keep cloudy sky in the area. Unsettled and cloudy weather remains for the weekend with clearing and dry weather moving in for the start of next week.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 24 to 29
    Winds/Direction: 8 to 18, SW
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 2 to 4
    Elkton Snow: 2 to 4
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 3

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 14 to 19
    Winds/Direction: 10 to 20 WNW
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 1 to 3
    Elkton Snow: 1 to 3
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 25 to 30
    Winds/Direction: 8 to 18, WNW
    Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 1
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 1
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 1

Mountain Weather for 11,000ft. Friday March 21.

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/21/2019

A low-pressure system passing over Arizona is currently spinning moisture up into Utah and southern Colorado on Southerly flow. This system is going to take us out of the Spring Break weather we have had lately, and make a return to winter through the weekend. Thursday is a bit transitional for our forecast area. Clouds are already on the increase this morning, and that will be the theme for the day. High temperatures will climb back up to near or just above freezing. Precipitation will then start to pick up late this afternoon or early this evening. Precipitation will come in warm, though we should escape much for rain above 9000ft. Colder air will filter in later tonight and hang for the weekend. By the weekend snow accumulations should be reaching a foot with unsettled weather and snow showers lasting until dry weather moves in for the start of next week.

  • Today

    High Temperature: 29 to 33
    Winds/Direction: 5 to 15, S
    Sky Cover: Increasing clouds
    Irwin Snow: 0 to 2
    Elkton Snow: 0 to 2
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 0 to 2

  • Tonight

    Low Temperature: 18 to 22
    Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, S
    Sky Cover: Overcast
    Irwin Snow: 3 to 6
    Elkton Snow: 3 to 6
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 4 to 5

  • Tomorrow

    High Temperature: 24 to 29
    Winds/Direction: 10 to 20, W
    Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
    Irwin Snow: 3 to 5
    Elkton Snow: 2 to 4
    Friend’s Hut Snow: 1 to 3