Snow is expected to continue through the day Saturday and into Sunday evening with up to 18 inches in some areas of the Colorado high country, including the Aspen area.
In a winter storm warning issued Saturday morning and lasting until 5 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service said snowfall will be “moderate to heavy” through Sunday.
“Additional snow accumulations of 6 to 18 inches, with locally higher amounts exceeding two feet (and) winds gusting as high as 50 mph” are expected, according to the warning, which covers much of the Colorado mountains.
The snow has raised avalanche concerns for the backcountry, and an avalanche warning has been issued through Sunday night because of “intense snowfall and strong winds.”
The weather outlook for Saturday states the snow will pick up in the central and southern Colorado mountains by Saturday evening and continuing into Sunday.
After this storm moves through, the rest of the week will be dry and colder starting Monday through the midweek “with a slow warming trend at mid slopes by late week.”
In the avalanche warning, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center said slides in the backcountry could be deadly with all the new snow on the older layers.
“You can trigger avalanches from a distance or from below slopes. These avalanches will be large enough to bury and kill you,” the CAIC warns. “Wind-drifted slopes will produce the deepest and most dangerous avalanches, but you can very easily trigger a slab avalanche on any steep terrain. Travel in and below avalanche terrain is not recommended. You can find safer riding options on lower angle slopes in wind-sheltered areas.”
