Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

**montanaskier** · 03-05-2008, 08:06 AM

no real snow in Vail last night or yesterday for that matter. Mainly snow showers here and there. This morning it is bluebird and cold (4). Allegedly gonna fire up this afternoon again for some light accumulations, then sunny and warm for the weekend and thru most of next week.

**Rideski** · 03-05-2008, 08:11 AM

yeah, bummer. I checked the 5:30 report and bailed. Sorry Jt I was going to send you a pm and then passed back out.
I woke up and I'm like "man it's getting light early"...It was 6:50...

With teh lack of snow and cold did not sound too attractive.
edit: coupled with the fact that I had a super kick ass and long day Sunday.

WP and Berthoud got some good stuff though. Too bad I don't have my touring shit together yet.

**skiHOG** · 03-05-2008, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Rideski

yeah, bummer. I checked the 5:30 report and bailed. Sorry Jt I was going to send you a pm and then passed back out.
I woke up and I'm like "man it's getting light early"...It was 6:50...

With teh lack of snow and cold did not sound too attractive.
edit: coupled with the fact that I had a super kick ass and long day Sunday.

WP and Berthoud got some good stuff though. Too bad I don't have my touring shit together yet.

no worries man. i did the same thing. got up this morning, saw the snow totals, was disappointed and went back to bed. i considered berthoud for a short time, but didn't know how i could get ahold of you so early to see if you wanted to tour. maybe next time.

let's hope the rest of march comes on strong.

**fish** · 03-05-2008, 11:24 AM

real disappointed... but oh well. theres still a storm in the pacific, i hope it stops by to say hi

**montanaskier** · 03-05-2008, 01:03 PM

still calling for snow this afternoon and tonight, however I see nothing on radar returns to make me think it will snow. Next chance looks like a week from Friday.

**pappag** · 03-06-2008, 10:51 AM

Yep, looks like VERY marginal snow for quite some time.
Hoping March comes in like a lamb and out like a liger.

**skiHOG** · 03-06-2008, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Nick Pappagiorgio

Yep, looks like VERY marginal snow for quite some time.
Hoping March comes in like a lamb and out like a liger.

bred for its skills in magic? or powder slaying?

**fish** · 03-06-2008, 07:23 PM

predicting 1-3 for the mountains tonight and somethings gonna happen on sunday too, hopefully something big

**BigDog00** · 03-06-2008, 08:27 PM

Was anyone at Steamboat today? Supposidly they got 10" throughout the day with more coming tonight (I dont think much though). Might go down there tomorrow.

**skiHOG** · 03-06-2008, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by BigDog00

Was anyone at Steamboat today? Supposidly they got 10" throughout the day with more coming tonight (I dont think much though). Might go down there tomorrow.

sounds like their epic season is still going strong.

from their website:

What an epic season we're having… we're just 2 feet away now from burying our all-time record. Our December was 3rd snowiest on record, and January and February were 2nd snowiest on record each… We've gotten more than 100 inches of snow in those three consecutive months for the first time in history… and where does that leave March??

Today was a Majestic Morning, with were pockets of foot-deep snow in spots, and it was still dumping when I came down… Is this four-wire winter ever going to stop?! It's a shame we have to quit counting early this year on April 6th… or will we?? If so, that's still 31 more days of snow, and repeat after me folks… I think we can, I think we can! Ahhh, I recall the threatening pre-season forecasts of a "La Nina Season" and smile, thinking, they had no idea, did they?

possibilities of a 500"+ season. buffalo pass has to be reaching that number right about now.

**Rontele** · 03-06-2008, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by fish

predicting 1-3 for the mountains tonight and somethings gonna happen on sunday too, hopefully something big

Not likely until at least next week at some point. Powerful westerlies punching in to the PacNw. Just depends how far south the jet wants to sag.

**yetipolice** · 03-07-2008, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by BigDog00

Was anyone at Steamboat today? Supposidly they got 10" throughout the day with more coming tonight (I dont think much though). Might go down there tomorrow.

Snow was ridiculously light, almost too light as it didn't cover up some of the crust and firm snow underneath, but still a great day. 10" was definitely legit.

**Rontele** · 03-07-2008, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by funkendrenchman

It's odd, NOAA is predicting 7-15" in the point forecast, but there is no snow advisory.

The only reason is that you need 4-8 inches in a 12 hour period to warrant a snow advisory and 6-12 with wind for a warning.

That 7-15 was 7-15 in a 24 hour period and thus an inch shy of advisory criteria.

**montanaskier** · 03-07-2008, 07:40 PM

your knowledge of all things NOAA is impressive.

**funkendrenchman** · 03-07-2008, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Rontele

The only reason is that you need 4-8 inches in a 12 hour period to warrant a snow advisory and 6-12 with wind for a warning.

That 7-15 was 7-15 in a 24 hour period and thus an inch shy of advisory criteria.

Well, we got 6" in less than 12 hours, so maybe they should have issued one.

**freeheel84** · 03-08-2008, 03:41 PM

Its not the gnarliest terrain by any means, but with our base holding strong, and only 11 more inches until a record breaking year

, its a good bet for freshies on any decent storm cycle. The steeps arent goin to make you shit yourself but the trees guarantee a full on shit eating grin, if its not obscured by the face shots.

**jon turner** · 03-08-2008, 04:54 PM

Got a little bit of new snow up near Independancece Pass today, not more than a couple inches though. Got up over 13,000 feet for the first time in awhile, the snow in the trees up there is great right now. Lots of untouched boot-deep to knee deep creaminess.

**pappag** · 03-08-2008, 07:53 PM

So much for that SLOW start Steamboat had.

**montanaskier** · 03-08-2008, 09:31 PM

so much for that slow start we all had. I was looking back at the late October all of November posts and man was I wrong. Lots of people were wrong. I was an out of control douche to say the least. Our season ended up being off the chain. More snow to come and the corn harvest is gonna be just silly.

**funkendrenchman** · 03-08-2008, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by jon turner

Got a little bit of new snow up near Independancece Pass today, not more than a couple inches though. Got up over 13,000 feet for the first time in awhile, the snow in the trees up there is great right now. Lots of untouched boot-deep to knee deep creaminess.

There's a 70" base at 10,000 ft on the pass right now. I'm guessing that was about 40" at this time last year.

**jon turner** · 03-09-2008, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by funkendrenchman

There's a 70" base at 10,000 ft on the pass right now. I'm guessing that was about 40" at this time last year.

Yeah, there were places we had to boot up and if the snow was rotten, we were wading up to our waists and still not hitting bottom. The trail register at the bottom of Graham Gulch was buried up to the base of the sign. To sign in, I would have had to dig out the register a bit.

Spring skiing up there is going to be great. Though, with that much snow, I hope they get the pass open by Memorial Day as usual. I can't imagine them not get it open for the tourists, but who knows.

**pappag** · 03-09-2008, 09:03 PM

mid-Wed thru mid-Fri is showing potential for new accumulation.

**funkendrenchman** · 03-10-2008, 08:35 AM

I know this is snowforecast.com, but "--Next week we see frequent storms and thus snowfall. This pattern should continue well into late March, with little sign of any high pressure ridges to break up the storm potential."

**jon turner** · 03-10-2008, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by funkendrenchman

I know this is snowforecast.com, but "--Next week we see frequent storms and thus snowfall. This pattern should continue well into late March, with little sign of any high pressure ridges to break up the storm potential."

That would be sweet. Right now NOAA is saying Leadville will get up near 40 for highs through Friday with possible rain/snow each day.

Rain? Yikes! Everyone tells me it doesn't rain here until may/june so hopefully it doesn't happen.

**Rontele** · 03-10-2008, 12:04 PM

pattern looks to be shifting into the middle to end of this week, with strong westerlies punching into the CONUS. Models indicate a strong storm for the weekend, but the models differ on where to track most of the energy.

Regardless, from Tuesday on, it looks like a good period of orographically induced snowfall for the NoCo mountains.