Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

gunit130 · 10-26-2010, 04:14 PM

Just updated [ame="http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177754"]this[/ame] with a few more web cams.

**WTF is dat** · 10-26-2010, 07:58 PM

Rode 4th chair up the new lift at A-Basin today. Lots of powder on my first run, both natural and man made. Good way to start the season.

Things will be warming up significantly on Friday & Saturday, but look for a slight cool front with maybe a dusting of snow on monday.

gunit130 · 10-26-2010, 08:04 PM

I pulled this off of the 2Elk cam at Vail. Looks like the 3 feet tally from a Vail employee is right on in certain spots. NF is probably $$$$!

Nice sunset up there. Might be a good idea to skin up there tomorrow AM if you can swing it.

**linvillegorge** · 10-26-2010, 08:09 PM

The avalanche danger is definitely real out there. I watched a member of ski patrol trigger a decent sized slide right under Lift 1 at Loveland today. He was coming down staying tight to the trees, but as soon as he came just barely out of the trees it fractured and went. Looked to be about 2' deep and probably slid 150' or so.

**gratzo** · 10-27-2010, 01:41 AM

Get it while it's cold...gonna get warm and the "storms" this weekend aren't much to talk about:
http://www.coloradopowderforecast.com/quick-forecast/

And some weather geekery with satellite and radar during this last storm:
http://www.coloradopowderforecast.co...ists-see-snow/

**goldenboy** · 10-27-2010, 08:17 AM

NPR this morning said the storm which was in the midwest yesterday had the lowest recorded pressure for a non-tropical storm in US history. The frontal passage Monday morning was certainly impressive when the rain turned to snow and wind in an instant. Meanwhile it's still snowing in CB and hopefully the rumors of several feet of snow in Irwin are true- checking it out this pm

**skiingislife** · 10-27-2010, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by linvillegorge

The avalanche danger is definitely real out there. I watched a member of ski patrol trigger a decent sized slide right under Lift 1 at Loveland today. He was coming down staying tight to the trees, but as soon as he came just barely out of the trees it fractured and went. Looked to be about 2' deep and probably slid 150' or so.

Here's a photo of the "Tiger's Tail" slide. The whole pitch is about 150' so didn't move that far, maybe 50' or so. What you can't see are the cracks that extend left all the way across the run. You can see Bob's tracks in the trees. I'm pretty sure they threw some bombs on the steeps last night. It'll be interesting to see the results. Lots of snow up there. 31" in 72hrs as of yesterday morning, with at least another 12" since then.

**linvillegorge** · 10-27-2010, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by skiingislife

Here's a photo of the "Tiger's Tail" slide. The whole pitch is about 150' so didn't move that far, maybe 50' or so. What you can't see are the cracks that extend left all the way across the run. You can see Bob's tracks in the trees. I'm pretty sure they threw some bombs on the steeps last night. It'll be interesting to see the results. Lots of snow up there. 31" in 72hrs as of yesterday morning, with at least another 12" since then.

It was tough to judge the distance from the chair. I thought I might have been off, but I didn't think I was off THAT far. LOL!

Yeah, the cracks extended a good ways. Plus, after the slide, I noticed just below the roller that begins that pitch there was significant cracking near the trees on the other side of the run. Might have been caused by the first slide though.

**montanaskier** · 10-27-2010, 11:16 AM

pretty impressive early storm. Looks WARM again by the end of the week. Hope either this melts out or it keeps up. I'd prefer keeps up!

gunit130 · 10-27-2010, 11:17 AM

What is everyone's take on the weekend?

Will the warm temps Thurs/Fri degrade the snowpack so much that we'll be hitting rocks by the weekend?

Seems like above 11,000 the temps should hover around freezing? I betting NF trees will still be money all weekend long....?

Although 55F at 9K is pretty shitty.

What do you think?

**funkendrenchman** · 10-27-2010, 02:02 PM

30-40" up high in the mountains around here.

**funkendrenchman** · 10-27-2010, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by goldenboy

NPR this morning said the storm which was in the midwest yesterday had the lowest recorded pressure for a non-tropical storm in US history. The frontal passage Monday morning was certainly impressive when the rain turned to snow and wind in an instant. Meanwhile it's still snowing in CB and hopefully the rumors of several feet of snow in Irwin are true- checking it out this pm

Based on what's on the other side of those mountains, it's true.

**gratzo** · 10-27-2010, 03:52 PM

Also heard rumors of 4ft in Irwin. Let me know if true. Taking a pic with a tape measure would help (I am skeptical of everything...just 'cause).

Loveland's storm total is about 20-24". Reports of 31" includes the Fri/Sat storm. Their double measuring of snow (2 locations at different times) really makes things complicated.

Heard Berthoud was off the charts today...legit faceshots with no rocks below.

Skinned to the top of Vail (well, top of Riva) around noon. 18-24" verified up there, but somewhat heavy and wind effected. Skied well down to about 500ft above the base, but not blower.

Thurs/Fri and Next Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri are going to be warm. Much of the snow not facing north will melt...maybe not completely, but a lot. At 10k, temps in the 40s this week and maybe low 50s next week.

This was a good reminder of winter, but we're still a ways off for consistent snow and cold temps.

**PowTron** · 10-27-2010, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by gratzo

Heard Berthoud was off the charts today...legit faceshots with no rocks below.

You heard correctly, sir...it was rather surreal for this time of year.

BOOOO to the big warm up, my heart shifted into full Winter mode today.

**funkendrenchman** · 10-27-2010, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by PowTron

BOOOO to the big warm up, my heart shifted into full Winter mode today.

Mine too.. it was full on bike mode until 3 days ago. I knew it'd be a big tease though.

**skiingislife** · 10-27-2010, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by gratzo

Loveland's storm total is about 20-24". Reports of 31" includes the Fri/Sat storm. Their double measuring of snow (2 locations at different times) really makes things complicated.

Ya, 72 hrs. prior to Tuesday at 7am includes Saturday, that's why I threw that in. I wasn't just talking about this storm. I don't even pay attention to the marketing numbers on the internet "snow report", just the ski patrol numbers that are printed out and posted up around the ski area.

**volklpowdermaniac** · 10-27-2010, 10:21 PM

This past storm, going off Joel and other's feedback and feelign the snow, seemed to come in rightside up. Heavy moist snow first, followed by drier snow. There is still the sugar layer up there, and the dirt and rocks off course, but things were curiously stable, Me and Pow pretty much ski cut a whole embankment on the up side of a stream (we thought the stream would be filled in enough to be skiable, alas no luck), but where I was sure the snow was going slide out from our feet and fall into the creek.... picture standing perpendicular to a half pipe, on one of the sides of a half pipe, it didn't, pow set off a small one after I had cut it below.... Just some thoughts, Stay safe...

I was really hoping a slight warming to the tune of 35 degrees for a few days would make this layer a solid base layer for the upcoming season, but alas it seems like we'll be dealing with a nice freeze-thaw layer with all this rapid warming.

**gratzo** · 10-28-2010, 07:40 AM

Maybe a bit of snow Saturday (a big maybe):
http://www.coloradopowderforecast.com/quick-forecast/

And a postmortem on the storm:
http://www.coloradopowderforecast.co...s-snow-report/

**goldenboy** · 10-28-2010, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by gratzo

Also heard rumors of 4ft in Irwin. Let me know if true. Taking a pic with a tape measure would help (I am skeptical of everything...just 'cause).

Did a quick lap after work yesterday. Reports are a bit exaggerated, the total is more like 20-40" (really dependent on elevation, probably due to the warm sunday night)

That said, it was good skiing, super supportive cream sauce, definitely not blower. But I like cream sauce.

**^^^** · 10-28-2010, 02:26 PM

60"+ up in Routt county.

gunit130 · 10-28-2010, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by ^^^

60"+ up in Routt county.

TR??????

**volklpowdermaniac** · 10-28-2010, 03:21 PM

My car read 22 degrees this morning in Denver.

Now it reads 65

--->

my feelings through out the day.

Growing up in the east, we never had such rapid temp changes.... for me, 45 degrees is crazy.

**funkendrenchman** · 10-28-2010, 03:29 PM

Coldest temp ever in October here this morning, 5 deg. It struggled to hit 40 today. Looks like that warm dry period may start ending near the 10th... let's hope so.

**smmokan** · 10-29-2010, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by ^^^

60"+ up in Routt county.

In drifts, maybe. Hell, Keystone showed a picture of about 40" in a drift.

**karpiel** · 10-29-2010, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by volklpowdermaniac

My car read 22 degrees this morning in Denver.

Now it reads 65

--->

my feelings through out the day.

Growing up in the east, we never had such rapid temp changes.... for me, 45 degrees is crazy.

Couple years ago we went from ~55 to ~10 below within 12 hours, sunny day followed by a cold front that cleared out at night into an inversion. Temperature read from outdoor mounted (away from house, in shade) mercury thermometer. We are on the warm side of the valley, so I think it was fairly localized.

Two new cracks in windshields and 4 head/tail light bulbs dead.

Loma, MT. on January 15, 1972. The temperature rose exactly 103 degrees, from -54 degrees Fahrenheit to 49 degrees. This is the world record for a 24—hour temperature change.