If you’re headed to the mountains this weekend, bring an extra abundance of caution.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) has issued a handful of Avalanche Watches for several areas of the state.
The danger of avalanches is listed as moderate now, but the watch, which started at 6 a.m. Friday, is still in effect since CAIC expects the possibility of a threat to increase rapidly Friday night into Saturday.
Here is the latest avalanche report for each area, as of Friday at 10 a.m.:
- South San Juan is not under an avalanche watch (click here for details)
- North San Juan is not under an avalanche watch (click here for details)
- Sangre de Cristo is not under an avalanche watch (click here for details)
- Front Range is under an avalanche watch until Saturday at 8 a.m. (click here for details).
- Gunnison is under an avalanche watch until Saturday at 8 a.m. (click here for details).
- Sawatch Range is under an avalanche watch until Saturday at 8 a.m. (click here for details)
- Grand Mesa is not under an avalanche watch (click here for details)
- Aspen is under an avalanche watch until Saturday at 8 a.m. (click for details)
- Vail and Summit Counties are under an avalanche watch until Saturday at 8 a.m. (click here for details)
- Steamboat and the Flat Tops are under an avalanche watch until Saturday at 8 a.m. (click here for details)
The CAIC has forecasted the level of avalanche danger for Saturday as well. They are ranked from low up to extreme. Here is the predicted levels for Saturday, starting with the danger level below tree line, then near tree line, then above tree line.
- South San Juan is low to moderate to moderate
- North San Juan is moderate to considerable to considerable
- Sangre de Cristo is low to moderate to moderate
- Front Range is considerable to high to high
- Gunnison is considerable to high to high
- Sawatch Range is moderate to considerable to considerable
- Grand Mesa is moderate to considerable to no rating
- Aspen is considerable to high to high
- Vail and Summit Counties are considerable to high to high
- Steamboat and the Flat Tops are considerable to high to high
As of Friday, three people have died in avalanches in 2018. To learn more on these dangers in Colorado, click here.
