Dusting of Snow in Colorado Leads to 28 Human-Triggered Avalanches in 7 Days - SnowBrains

"In the midst of The Winter That Never Came, Colorado was graced with a few inches of snow last week, after a few fast moving storms from Canada snuck around the giant dome of high pressure that has persisted across much of the Western United States. The snow brought a flurry of backcountry travelers, and with them came avalanches. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center received report of 28 human-triggered avalanches between January 23 and 29."

"Dry weather in Colorado and across the West for much of the last month has led to the widespread development of facets. These crystals can make for pretty good skiing when left on the surface of the snowpack, sometimes called "recycled pow," but once buried, they can lead to major avalanche problems. A record low snow year for many areas has left the backcountry skiing community hungry for any sort of fresh snow."

"Many of the reports filed with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center documented relatively small sized wind slabs. A few reports indicated remote triggers, or avalanches that are triggered by people some distance away from the starting zone, a classic sign of participation of weak persistent crystals like facets. These small sized avalanches could be hinting at much larger problems on the way with the next snowfall."

Colorado received a few inches of snow after fast-moving Canadian storms bypassed a persistent Western high-pressure dome, drawing many backcountry travelers and triggering avalanches. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center logged 28 human-triggered avalanches between January 23 and 29. Prolonged dry conditions produced widespread faceted crystals that, when buried, create weak persistent layers prone to failure. Recent light, wind-scoured snowpack loading produced relatively small wind slabs and several remotely triggered slides, indicating facet involvement. Early-season eagerness and drought-conditioned complacency increase exposure to avalanche risk. These conditions suggest that future snow events could produce larger, more dangerous avalanches.

Read at SnowBrains