Avalanche Watch In Effect As Snowstorm Prepares To Blanket Colorado's High Country
SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - With potentially feet of snow expected in some areas of Colorado's mountains, the threat of snow slides will increase. On Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center issued an Avalanche Watch through Friday.
Forecasters say their biggest concern is the snow that has stuck around through weeks of dry weather. It's become granular and will become an unstable base for the new snow expected to fall.
"Anytime we get new snow on top of that. We're starting to see avalanches. Right now they're fairly small but as the winter progresses it's going to change," said Dr. Ethan Greene, the Executive Director of the CAIC. "It's enough to create small avalanches, as we get more snow on top of it, those avalanches will get larger."
There are some parts of the state that have been so dry, the threat of avalanche is far lower.
"This year we have a lot of places, especially in the southern mountains where the snow is going to be falling on bare ground so the avalanche danger is not likely to rise very high in those areas," Greene said.
The CAIC is urging backcountry users, from skiers to snowshoers and snowmobilers to be smart and safe as the snow finally starts to build.
"Check the avalanche forecast. Make sure you know the conditions before you go out, get a little bit of training. A little bit of education could save your life," Greene said.