Mountain Weather 1/22/2017

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/22/2017

Most of the Crested Butte area got skunked by Saturdays anticipated snowfall, but Irwin came in a big winner again with orographic snow showers adding up overnight. Today we have a temporary ridge building that will dry out the weather and even let the sun shine for a bit. This will be short lived as we see increasing clouds this afternoon ahead of a good looking storm for Sunday night into Monday. Moisture is streaming in from the west southwest, with several lifting mechanism such as a strong overhead jet. Everything should combine for a strong winter storm with increased winds. Snow showers should continue into Tuesday and possibly even Wednesday Morning. Adding up to up to a couple feet of new snow.

Today

High Temperature: 21
Wind Speed: 10 to 20 G30
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0 to 1

Tonight

Low Temperature: 15
Wind Speed: 15 to 25
Wind Direction: SW
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 4 to 8

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 24
Wind Speed: 15 to 25
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 8 to 12

tipping point

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Kebler Pass Area
Date of Observation: 01/20/2017
Name: jeff banks
Subject: tipping point
Aspect: East, West
Elevation: 9,200-12,200

Avalanches: SS-R3-D1.5/2? (poor visibility) W facing, 9,600ft, ~270ft wide opposite the R.L. skin track in gulley feature, anything steep ~40* had a distinct crown with ~10cm refill

SS-R1-D1.5/D2 (poor vis)~150ft wide E facing ~@ 11,300 E facing just right to skin trick ~38-40* ~10cm refill~ unknown amount of debris below in forest, still a good amount of “slumped” snow on the bed surface.

and a few small D1 pockets on Kebler road
Weather: S1-S2
West light to Mod
Snowpack: exposed areas 20-30cm drifts in skin track in short period of time
fresh cornice development

easy shears under HST ~30-35cm in FC/SH layer on crust. besides the 2 avalanches, , no propagation seen underfoot.

SH layer was very touchy

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Cement Creek Area
Date of Observation: 01/20/2017
Name: Ben Pritchett
Subject: SH layer was very touchy
Aspect: North, East, South
Elevation: 9,600′ to 12,100′

Avalanches:
Weather:
Snowpack: HS averaged well over 2m. Sank 3m probe w/out hitting bottom anywhere near treeline w/ any prior loading. Shallow spots on ridges were as little as 120cm, w/ 180cm avg.

Field avg HST was 25cm @ 11,500; a bit less (~20cm) @ valley floor, and lightly redistributed above treeline, with fresh drifts up to 50cm, but still Fist hard.

The Jan 19 SH layer was very touchy on everything but due south below treeline, just no slab above it yet anywhere on our tour today. Wind loading was re-filling our skin track each lap, but still no slabbing, yet. On SE, also found a nasty crust facet combo topped w/ SH. Minor cracking observed on SE aspect near TL where HST sat on a thin crust. Cracks were going to just below the crust, breaking on the size 1mm facets below the crust on steep rolls, tilt tests and hand tests.

Today, Loose Dry was the only problem, and only over 40 degrees. Looking into the future, with more load, the Cement Creek area could have a small avalanche cycle on most aspects on the Jan 19 SH and crust/facet combos by Monday if the forecast verifies.

Mountain Weather 1/21/2017

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/21/2017

Storm number 2 in our recent 3 part series has been producing snow in southwest Colorado while the central mountains have been in the forecasted lull overnight. Moisture will arrive into our area later this morning as we’ll see snow showers develop through the day. A temporary ridge begins to build this evening and as it does we’ll see wind directions become more west and eventually northwest. Available moisture will be drying out at the same time, but any lingering moisture available will be rung out in the western portion of the forecast area where we see snow showers extend into the evening. The ridge will bring dryer conditions early Sunday morning during the break before storm number 3. We’ll see clouds increasing Sunday afternoon as number 3 get ready to send us back into stormy weather for several days. Number 3 is looking like a good snow producer for the area and we’ll talk more details on this tomorrow.

Today

High Temperature: 20
Wind Speed: 10 to 20
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 3-5E/5-8W

Tonight

Low Temperature: 12
Wind Speed: 10 to 20 G30
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 2 to 4 West

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 20
Wind Speed: 10 to 20 G30
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0

Gothic 7 a.m. report

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/20/2017
Name: billy barr
Subject: Gothic 7 a.m. report
Aspect:
Elevation:

Avalanches:
Weather: Bad weather returns with generally moderate, steady overnight snow though light density with 5″ new and water 0.23″ (though this may be a bit short as I will not measure until 7 and the instrumentation may be an hour behind on uploading data). Snowpack at 81½”. No wind. No visibility.
Snowpack:

Deep

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/20/2017
Subject: Deep
Aspect: North, North East
Elevation: btl

Avalanches: surface sluffing only on steeper pitches caused by tree bombs and from skiing, some “creep” as well on rollers but no propagation.
Weather: Snowing 2-3 inches an hour, zero wind.
Snowpack: Breaking trail through 24 inches of snow of estimated four-percent density. Five inches of new on skintrack after one lap.

Cement Creek

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Cement Creek Area
Date of Observation: 01/20/2017
Name: ADB
Subject: Cement Creek
Aspect: South, South West
Elevation: BTL

Avalanches: None. A few pinwheels off the skin track after the sun made its brief appearance.
Weather: S-1 transitioning to mostly cloudy. Calm.
Snowpack: Up to 6 inches of new snow/24 hours on a sun crust.

Mountain Weather 1/20/2017

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 01/20/2017

Storm one of three in this forecast period arrived last night on southwest flow. We’ll continue seeing fairly light winds and continued snowfall through today, with a break in weather late this afternoon into tonight. The next storm will arrive early tomorrow morning again on southwest flow. Number 2 is very similar to number 1, but being its younger brother. Number 2 will pack a little better punch. A brief ridge will bring drier conditions and a break in the weather Sunday, before the little step child, storm number 3, decides to come play too. Number 3 looks to bring the wind with upper-level jet support and heavy snow if everything lines up right. Number 3 will again start out on southwest flow Monday, and finish with northwesterly flow around Tuesday evening/Wednesday timeframe.

Today

High Temperature: 25
Wind Speed: 10 to 20
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 3 to 5

Tonight

Low Temperature: 12
Wind Speed: 5 to 15
Wind Direction: SW
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 0 to 2

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 22
Wind Speed: 10 to 20
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Overcast
Snow: 3 to 6

Unusual surface hoar event

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Crested Butte Area
Date of Observation: 01/19/2017
Name: Ben Pritchett
Subject: Unusual surface hoar event
Aspect: North, North East, East, North West
Elevation: 9400-11400

Avalanches:
Weather:
Snowpack: I saw 5-12mm SH between 9,400′ and 11,400- today on open an gladed NW-E slopes, irrespective of previous snow surfaces. It had grown on old tracks, on old wind crusts on windward features, groomers and undisturbed pow surfaces with impunity. Certainly widespread on the shady side of the compass near and below TL.

Schuylkill Surface Hoar

CB Avalanche Center2016-17 Observations

Location: Paradise Divide Area
Date of Observation: 01/19/2017
Name: Arden Feldman and Jack Caprio
Subject: Schuylkill Surface Hoar
Aspect: North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West
Elevation: 9000-11400

Avalanches: Skier triggered two D1 sluffs in the surface snow that travelled surprisingly far.
Weather: Increasing clouds throughout the day from clear to overcast with light snow beginning late in the afternoon. Generally calm winds with some light winds developing in the afternoon.
Snowpack: The surface hoar was present everywhere we travelled. Practically all aspects B/NTL including ridge tops. Did not travel ATL. On northerly aspects the SH was generally .5-2 cm in size, even in densely wooded areas, and in protected spots it was up to 3 cm in size with stunning crystals. On southerly aspects the SH was generally .5-1 cm in size and often sitting on a thin crust. At lower elevations in the valley, on flat and southerly aspects, the SH crystals were not as well formed but still present. Did not travel in densely wooded southerly aspects. With snow beginning at the end of the tour, the SH was almost certainly buried and preserved.