Mountain Weather March 25, 2015

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/25/2015

A passing cold front is bringing increased snowfall before sunrise this morning. This snowfall will decrease behind the front and become more scattered today. By this evening we should see clearing skies that will lead to a cold low temperature tonight. There may be some clouds building on Thursday, but otherwise we’ll be back in a drying trend through the weekend under another high pressure ridge.

Today

High Temperature: 32
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: NW
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0-3

Tonight

Low Temperature: 14
Wind Speed: 5-15
Wind Direction: NW
Sky Cover: Decreasing clouds
Snow: 0

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 38
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: NW
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0

Ruby Range

CB Avalanche Center2014-15 Observations

LOCATION: Kebler Pass Area
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 03/24/2015
NAME: Evan Ross
SUBJECT: Ruby Range
ASPECT: S,NE
ELEVATION: ATL 12,800-11,000

 

AVALANCHES: One natural soft slab running on the east face of Mt. Owen. SS-N-R1-D1.5-U

WEATHER: Clear through the first half of the day and becoming mostly cloudy by 2pm. Westerly winds where gusting during the first part of the day with some blowing snow, before becoming more sustained at Moderate speeds with more continued drifting.

SNOWPACK: New snow was relatively dense above treeline with drifts up to 25cm deep. We found thin wind slabs 2-4″ thick on many slope and one 6″ thick slab on an isolated pocket. These slabs would pop in hand shears within the new snow, but we didn’t observe any cracking or other signs to instability while skiing slopes over 40 degrees. Small sloughs running within the new snow were the only concern.

Snow surfaces stayed dry today at these elevations and on all aspects toured. Also, there was a lot of graupel, sometimes buried within the new snow and sometimes on the surface, it was like a giant sandbox on some slopes.

UPLOADS:

Natural soft slab running on the east face of Mt. Owen. SS-N-R1-D1.5-U

IMG_0467

Gothic Update

CBAC2014-15 Observations

We had 3½” last night before clearing and cooling a bit.  Snow has been down to 35″ deep, then up to 37½” and now 37″.  Clouds are starting to move back in and it is cooler with the high so far just 37ºF (average high last week 51ºF with 5 record highs).

During the heat a few days back there was a good bit of wet loose activity including one that triggered a small 2 foot fracture that ran to ground.  billy

Mt Emmons

CBAC2014-15 Observations

GUIDE(S): Donny
DATE: 15-03-22
LOCATION: Red Lady Bowl
ELEVATION: 9200’ to 12,400’ 
ASPECT: SE – S
WEATHER: 0930 @ 9900’ – SE aspect, flat – mostly cloudy, calm, 3.5ºC – SkiPen: 0, BootPen: 0
1030 @ 10,900’ – S aspect, 10º slope – partly cloudy, moderate wind from N, 1.5ºC – SkiPen: 0, BootPen: <5cm
1130 @ 11,700’ – south aspect, 15º slope – partly cloudy, moderate west wind, 5.5ºC – SkiPen: <5cm, BootPen: 5cm
1230 @12,400’ – south aspect, 35º slope – mostly sunny, strong west wind, 5ºC – SkiPen: 5cm, BootPen: 15cm
SNOWPACK/AVALANCHE OBS: No signs of instabilities today.  Snow was slow to soften.  T20 temps were below zero, but not by much.

Mountain Weather march 24, 2015

CB Avalanche CenterWeather

Date: 03/24/2015

The atmosphere will temporarily stabilize today with partly cloudy sky’s and no precipitation. Another cold front will move into Northern Colorado this afternoon and bring us another chance for snowfall and more gusty winds, both similar to last night. Drier air will be moving into our area Wednesday night but we may still see a snow flurry on Thursday before a ridge of high pressure builds putting us back into dry weather and warming temps through the weekend.

Today

High Temperature: 36
Wind Speed: 12-22
Wind Direction: N, W
Sky Cover: Partly Cloudy
Snow: 0

Tonight

Low Temperature: 19
Wind Speed: 10-20
Wind Direction: W
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 1-5

Tomorrow

High Temperature: 32
Wind Speed: 8-18
Wind Direction: NW
Sky Cover: Mostly Cloudy
Snow: 0-2

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: