Thread: Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

In all seriousness, someone needs to kidnap me from work and take me to Vail with you.

http://twitter.com/tgrmontanaskier

^^ nice. does that mean that you have twatted?

I'll update for fun, gives me something to do. Those that want to check in are free to and others like Rontele don't have to.

Sister just gave me a ring @ 315pm. Said there was 8-10" in Blue Sky & Mongolia zones, "felt like a foot already." Very isolated orographics on this one. Snowing real hard when they left for the front-side.

I'll be there tomorrow in line @ 815. Should be DEEP.

Originally Posted by CherryMoon

Sister just gave me a ring @ 315pm. Said there was 8-10" in Blue Sky & Mongolia zones, "felt like a foot already." Very isolated orographics on this one. Snowing real hard when they left for the front-side.

I'll be there tomorrow in line @ 815. Should be DEEP.

Hot Damn, thanks! Well, settled for sure...Donkey Punch and I will be there, and maybe we will be kidnapping Yossarian as well.

Look for the neon warriors on fat rockered boards, ask for change.

Hmm, suddenly feeling ill, hack, cough...

Originally Posted by grskier

The 13" on the Aspen/Snowmass site is no joke for what's fallen aready since this morning...

Driving back from Jackson...what opened today? You think 8" or so since then?

Radar returns are confusing me...they show nothing, but then when you look at CDOT's cams (3 minutes ago) it shows snow in East and West Vail, as well as the Loveland Tunnel cam just getting NUKED right now.

Should be a fun morning!

^^^ NW wind now...orographics

Originally Posted by montanaskier

^^^ NW wind now...orographics

I likey that

Looks like the skiing will be fun most any place tomorrow (outside of the east slopes).

Winner so far appears to be Scofield pass, coming in with 1.7 inches of water for close to 20" of snow.

Man, I hope there's some left on Saturday... fucking work.

Originally Posted by PowTron

Radar returns are confusing me...they show nothing, but then when you look at CDOT's cams (3 minutes ago) it shows snow in East and West Vail, as well as the Loveland Tunnel cam just getting NUKED right now.

Should be a fun morning!

Radar is basically useless in the mountains since it is line of sight.

For more on radar, see slides 18,19, and 20 of the BOTTOM presentation here:
http://www.coloradopowderforecast.com/education/

Basically, radar works well when the snow is dynamically driven. When the storm clouds bubble up to 18-25k feet, they are high enough for the radar to "see" the snow falling through the cloud. This was the case all day Thursday - you could track the heavy snow bands.

However, when the primary mechanism for snow production is orographics, the storm clouds are usually at and below 15k (mountaintop), and it's near impossible for the radar to "see" the snow falling out of these clouds. That's why "now-casting" (predicting weather in the next 1-3 hours) is so hard for orographics, because there is really no help from radar.

The models hint as some light orographic snowfall through Thurs night and Friday, with some heavier bursts due to convection (warmer surface air "bubbling"). Just another few inches is all that's likely from midnight Thurs night to Friday afternoon.

Another few inches at and north of Aspen on Sat, then a good storm on Monday night and Tuesday AM, followed by something next weekend. April looks good.

Updated "guesses" here: http://www.coloradopowderforecast.com/quick-forecast/

Heading to Vail, blue jacket and blue Megawatts. Good Friday indeed.

Sweet.... 10" forecast for Loveland/A-Basin, and they get 2". Another fine storm.

^^ STeve I thought about you and what you were going to say this morning when I saw the report. Abasin just can't catch a break. In other news, it's been a better spring than winter so far in Eagle County. Not much lift served left...go get sum!

Originally Posted by smmokan

Sweet.... 10" forecast for Loveland/A-Basin, and they get 2". Another fine storm.

^^^^^This.

Originally Posted by smmokan

Man, Vail must be awesome. I should go there sometime.

Originally Posted by smmokan

Sweet.... 10" forecast for Loveland/A-Basin, and they get 2". Another fine storm.

Not to laugh at your expense but not shelling out for Vail and then bitching gives me some solace as I sit at work.

Trails are drying out and it's snowing in the mountains. I vaguely remember Colorado being like this most years.

My first post was sarcastic. I'm not paying to go to Vail when I have a pass to A-Basin and Loveland.

Besides, I'll probably be riding this weekend too.... with this shitty snow year, I'm getting a lot more psyched to be out on the bike.

Originally Posted by smmokan

with this shitty snow year, I'm getting a lot more psyched to be out on the bike.

You're doing it wrong.

Any reports from Vail or Aspen? How did the 10-15" ski?

Tuesday AM is looking like another great day, and then a big storm cuts off across the southwest NEXT weekend.

Basically, from now through the third week in April (when most lift access stops), it looks like another 2 good storms, with maybe 1 or two more storms sneaking in. Basically, April looks great. Plenty of time to get after it.

Lastly, I have no clue what's going on with Abasin and Loveland. I think there is just too much amplification in the storms, i.e. they are coming in with strong SW winds which shuts down eastern Summit Co., then the wrap-around moist NW flow just hasn't been strong enough to give meaningful snow. Just a quick guess, though. No matter, I'll be at the beach on Abasin tomorrow with some burgers and beers.

While I do get excited for biking season and spring corn season, spring also keeps me busy chasing tornadoes. No making fun of me - it's actually a blast to drive fast in the middle of nowhere going after storms.

Originally Posted by gratzo

Any reports from Vail or Aspen? How did the 10-15" ski?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, not blower, but $$$$$$$$

Advisory for tomorrow: SNOW ACCUMULATION...4 TO 8 INCHES WITH LOCALLY 10 INCHES OVER THE ELKHEAD AND PARK RANGE.

... and Mon night/Tues is looking pretty good.

Originally Posted by gratzo

Any reports from Vail or Aspen? How did the 10-15" ski?

REAL sweet... it was quite a good morning at Vail. Fingers crossed for some more goodness on Tuesday. Thanks a million for the great forecasts, Joel.