Southern San Juan

A Special Avalanche Advisory is in effect for mountainous areas of Colorado. New snow and winds through the holiday weekend will increase the avalanche danger statewide. Very dangerous avalanche conditions will develop in some regions, with the most dangerous conditions developing Saturday afternoon and into Sunday. Avalanche conditions will be more dangerous than we’ve experienced in weeks. Adjust your weekend plans accordingly, and check the forecast frequently for changing conditions.

Strong westerly winds will easily drift the new, low-density snow into thicker slabs on leeward slopes – some steeper, previously wind-loaded areas above treeline may fail naturally. Cohesive slabs of snow two to three feet thick resting above very weak, collapsible snow layers increases your chance to trigger a larger avalanche that spans adjacent terrain features. Avoid slopes steeper than about 30 degrees that look filled-in or have a lens-shaped appearance. An avalanche triggered from a broad, wind-drifted area could break around you, and may provoke a failure in deeply buried weak snow. Signs of unstable snow like cracking or collapsing, and fresh avalanches are indicators to retreat to low-angled slopes without steeper terrain above you.