Mountain Weather, March 23, 2015

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/23/2015

Spring break is being put on hold for the start of this week as we move into unsettled weather through Thursday morning. Clouds and winds will increase today ahead of an approaching cold front. Light snow showers arrive tonight with the front, and another pulse comes through Tuesday night. Unfortunately, we’re sitting on the southern edge of this weather system and most snow will fall further north. This unsettled weather will be moving out on Thursday as we return to warmer temps and dry weather for the Grand Traverse weekend.

Today

High Temperature: 40
Wind Speed: 15-25, G40
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0-1″

Tonight

Low Temperature: 20
Wind Speed: 10-20 mph
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 1-3″

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 35
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0-1″

Mountain Weather March 12, 2012

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/22/2015

Another sunny and warm day is in store for you Al Johnson racers. The recent stretch of clear days will end this week under cooler and unsettled weather. High level clouds will begin to increase this afternoon as a weak Pacific disturbance passes overhead tonight, with the small chance of a few raindrops or snowflakes falling tonight. On Monday night, a low level trough and cold will bring periods of heavy snowfall to the northern half of the state. Crested Butte is on the southern edge of action with the chance for a couple inches of new snow. Another quick disturbance moves through Wednesday.

Today

High Temperature: 45
Wind Speed: 5-15, G25
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Increasing clouds
Snow: 0

Tonight

Low Temperature: 28
Wind Speed: 8-18
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 43
Wind Speed: 15-25, G35
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0-1″

Red Lady Glades

CBAC2014-15 Observations

NAME: Evan
DATE: 15-03-21
LOCATION: Red Lady Glades
ELEVATION: BTL 9,000-11,000
ASPECT: SSE
WEATHER:  Clear, calm wind, warm temps
SNOWPACK/AVALANCHE OBS: Traveled on slope angles less then 34 degrees. No signs of instabilities observed.  Surface crusts where in the 10-12″ range with wet grains below. These crusts stayed supportive to boot and skis through 2pm when we finished our tour.

Red Lady Bowl

CBAC2014-15 Observations

GUIDE(S): Donny

DATE: 15-03-21

LOCATION: Red Lady Bowl and Evan’s Basin

ELEVATION: 9,200’ to 12,400′

ASPECT: SE – S – SW

WEATHER: 10:30 @ 11,500’ – South aspect, 30º slope – clear, calm and -1.5ºC – SkiPen: 0cm; BootPen <5cm
12:00 @ 12,400’ – Southeast aspect, 35º slope – clear, calm and 3.5ºC – SkiPen: 5cm; BootPen: 15cm

SNOWPACK/AVALANCHE OBS: No signs of instabilities observed. We had a good freeze again last night.

Gothic area obs

CB Avalanche Center2014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Brush Creek Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/21/2015
NAME: Zach Guy
SUBJECT: Gothic area obs
ASPECT:
ELEVATION: 10,000- 12,000

 

AVALANCHES: More evidence of the recent wet cycle around the Gothic/Copper Creek area. Wet loose and wet slabs, mostly off of E and SE aspects near and below treeline., D1 to D2 in size. Also a few D1 wet loose off of north aspects below treeline in steep rocky areas and D1.5 wet slides off of west aspects near treeline. Surprisingly, we noticed 2 natural D2 wet slabs on northwest aspects above treeline, with starting zones at 12,500 feet. Unknown failure dates on all of this activity, but likely last Tuesday or Wednesday.

WEATHER: Clear skies, warm temps, light winds.

SNOWPACK: Obs from Whiterock area and Snodgrass Area:
Solid refreeze overnight at all elevations (12 inches deep or so) was supportive to boot and skis until 1:00 pm. on SE to SW aspects. After 1:00, started seeing some isolated areas of unsupportive snow below treeline, which likely trended to fully unsupportive but we got off of those slopes. Last night when approaching Gothic, we got a very large collapse on flat terrain after the surface had slightly refrozen.
On north aspects below treeline, the tree shaded slopes held mostly dry snow with a few inches of refrozen wet grains at the surface. More open slopes had wet snow deeper into the snowpack. On northeast aspects below treeline, the snowpack was wet to the ground, mostly supportive on skis but not to boot pen in the afternoon.

UPLOADS:

Mountain Weather for Saturday, March 21st, 2015

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/21/2015

Strengthening high pressure over the next several days will bring unseasonably warm temperatures through the weekend, before an unsettled Pacific disturbance moves into our area next week. Increasing high clouds throughout the day today may limit the freeze tonight, destabilizing the snowpack tomorrow. Strong sun, light winds and increasing clouds will be worth watching, as well as the developing storm set for next week.

Today

High Temperature: 45-50
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0″

Tonight

Low Temperature: 25-30
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0″

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 45-50
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: SW, W
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0″

Gothic Mountain

CB Avalanche Center2014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Crested Butte Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/20/2015
NAME: DR
SUBJECT: Gothic Mountain
ASPECT: South, South West, West
ELEVATION: 9500-12600

 

AVALANCHES:

WEATHER: 10:00 @ 10,700’ – West aspect, 25º slope – Clear, light wind from north, -1ºC – Ski and Boot Pen both 0cm
11:30 @ 11,700’ – West aspect, 35º slope – Clear, moderate wind from east, 2ºC – BootPen between 0 and 5cm – T20: -1ºC
13:30 @ 12,600’ – west aspect, 38º slope – Clear, moderate wind from south, 2ºC – HS: 75cm, T20: -1ºC

SNOWPACK: No signs of instabilities during the day. Surface was frozen and locked up, plenty supportable while skinning and climbing in crampons. HS above 11,500’ was less than a meter in many places. Upper 30cm on snowpack were a combination of multiple melt/freeze crusts. Large facets present under these crusts. Above 11,500’ there was new snow, up to 5cm near the summit. The surface supported weight, but if you worked hard you could break through and plunge to the ground.

UPLOADS:

Snodgrass, Crested Butte Area

CBAC2014-15 Observations

GUIDE(S): Evan
DATE: 3/20/15
LOCATION: Snodgrass
ELEVATION: BTL. 10,300-9,300
ASPECT: N, SE. All slope angles under 35 degrees.
WEATHER: A couple light wind gusts. Otherwise clear sky, strong solar and warm temps.
SNOWPACK:
Surface crusts where about 10″ this morning over wet grains to the ground. These crusts where skiing well on SE aspects at this elevation around 11am. During the noon to 1pm range these crusts where breaking down on SE aspects and becoming unsupportive to boots or skis. During this timeframe we were seeing and hearing huge rumbling collapses on these aspects.
After 1pm we skied on a north aspect that was supportive to both ski and boots with good skiing. This aspect still produced very large rumbling collapses while traveling on it.

Mountain Weather for Friday, March 20th, 2015

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/20/2015

We had our best re-freeze in days, with lows across our area mountains falling into the high teens, with light northerly winds. A trace of new snow yesterday fell only at the highest elevations near Schofield pass. The more active pattern of disorganized moisture will continue to evolve and eject across the Great Basin over the next few days, with still mild temperatures, but falling snow levels through the weekend. Minimal snow accumulations expected at this time.

Today

High Temperature: 40-45
Wind Speed: 0-10
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Mostly Clear
Snow: 0″

Tonight

Low Temperature: 20-25
Wind Speed: 0-10
Wind Direction: W, NW
Sky Cover: Clear
Snow: 0″

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 45-50
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0″

Wet Avalanches Co Road 742 Taylor Park

CB Avalanche Center2014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Cement Creek Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/18/2015
NAME: Havlick
SUBJECT: Wet Avalanches Co Road 742 Taylor Park
ASPECT: North, North East, North West
ELEVATION: BTL

 

AVALANCHES: several wet loose and wet slab avalanches reported sliding over CO Rd 742 to Taylor Park. Some of these slides slid past the centerline and required cars to slow and drive around in opposite lane. Rain and warm temps were falling when the slides reportedly slid between 11-2pm on 3/18.  Broken trees seen in debris.

WEATHER:

SNOWPACK:

UPLOADS: