Front Range

Look for and avoid areas of drifted snow on steep slopes. Two pulses of intense snow with easterly winds increase the danger on Friday. Easterly winds mean you should look out for drifted snow in atypical places and on typically scoured slopes. You can easily trigger avalanches where you find more than about 10 inches of recently drifted snow. Weak surfaces before the storm mean slides might run faster than you expect. Make sure you're aware of what's above and below you. Cracking the new snow is a sign to avoid steep slopes. Seek out wind-sheltered slopes as a safer option.