Heavy snow and strong winds pushed avalanche warnings in southwestern Colorado on Wednesday to an “extreme” level where forecasters warned of “very large and destructive” avalanches.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center warned backcountry users in the Gunnison area to avoid avalanche terrain, including flat, run-out areas along valley bottoms. The Gunnison zone warning remains in effect through 9 a.m. Friday.
The avalanche center also posted warnings in other zones, including around Steamboat Springs and Aspen and along the Front Range through 9 a.m. Thursday.
More than 20 avalanches were reported along U.S. 550 in southwestern Colorado on Wednesday, said Ethan Greene, director of the avalanche center. At least eight avalanches were reported on Loveland Pass on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, 19 avalanches were reported throughout the state.
“It’s an unusually busy period because of such a high amount of snow in a short amount of time,” Greene said. “It’s been building for the last 10 days or so.”
In the past week, nine people have been caught in avalanches in Colorado, Greene said. Two victims, fully buried, were dug out and rescued. There have been no reported deaths.
On Wednesday evening, snow again shut down portions of the I-70 corridor in the Colorado mountains. The Colorado Department of Transportation, at about 5:30 p.m., reported multiple “safety closures” in both directions between Vail and Georgetown because of “adverse winter conditions” and multiple “spun out” vehicles.
Emergency personnel in Summit County responded Wednesday night to a building collapse. The Village at Breckenridge Ten Mile Room, 535 S. Park Ave., collapsed at about 8 p.m., said Deputy Chief Jay Nelson, Red White & Blue Fire District. Investigators are looking into the cause of the collapse, which likely is weather-related.
“We don’t believe anybody was in there. It’s unoccupied,” Nelson said.
High winds hit the Front Range on Wednesday, and winter storm and avalanche warnings remained in effect for various spots in the Colorado high country.
Five to 10 inches of snow was expected in the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday, according to meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Boulder. Blowing snow and snow-packed roads made driving a challenge in the mountains.
Loveland Pass, which serves as a route for hazardous materials, remained closed Wednesday afternoon and could be out of commission for an extended period, said Ben Goudreau, weather service meteorologist.
Arapahoe Basin ski resort was closed Wednesday morning but reopened partially late in the afternoon when the Colorado Department of Transportation reopened U.S. 6 from Silverthorne to the ski area. Arapahoe Basin said it expects to be open Thursday.
Recent snowstorms have raised snowpack to 151 percent of average in the South Platte River Basin, the main water source for metro Denver and northeastern Colorado food production.
In Denver skies were mostly sunny Wednesday, and the high temperature topped out at 56 degrees, according to the weather service. Winds gusted in the 40 mph range along the Front Range.
Weather in Denver will be much cooler Thursday, with a high of 37 degrees.
On Thursday, there is a 20 percent chance of snow after 11 a.m. The chance for snow increases in the evening to 30 percent, according to the NWS. Little or no snow accumulation is expected.
The high on a mostly cloudy Friday will be around 36 degrees.
Sunshine is expected Saturday, with a high of 41 degrees. But in the evening there is another chance of snow after 11 p.m.
Snow also could fall along the Front Range on Sunday, when the high temperature will be around 37 degrees, the NWS says. There is another chance for snow on Monday, which is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
By Tuesday, it should be mostly sunny, with a high around 43 degrees.
