Front Range
SnowpackMike Cooperstein · Feb 2, 2016 · Front Range
Weather
S1 snow on and off for most of the day. Winds were relatively calm from the northeast. Sky was broken but there were periods of sun. Temperatures were in the single digits, but it felt relatively warm. Since the beginning of this storm period the Berthoud Pass area has received seven to eight inches of new snow with with over an inch of snow water equivalent. The windiest period was around mid day on January 30 when hourly average wind speeds were in the 30 mile per hour range. Winds were from the southwest and south for much of the storm and this moring they turned northeasterly.
Snowpack
On north through northeast to east-facing aspects near and above treeline the snowpack still has a poor structure. Lots of weak persistent weak layers and depth hoar. On south and southeast-facing aspects near and above treeline there are a series of melt-freeze crusts sandwiching weak faceted grains. Seems to be weaker near treeline.