SW San Juan Mtns now under WINTER STORM WARNING 1-2 ft up high - Heavy and wet. Think safety

More heavy wet snow over two weeks of warm windy weather won't help the Deep Persistent Slab Avalanche problem. Avoid anything remotely hazardous in the backcountry until we see what this snow does. http://avalanche.state.co.us/forecasts/backcountry-avalanche/south-san-juan/

WWUS45 KGJT 260958
WSWGJT

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND JUNCTION CO
358 AM MDT WED MAR 26 2014


COZ009-010-012-018-019-261800-
/O.UPG.KGJT.WS.A.0009.140327T0000Z-140328T1500Z/
/O.NEW.KGJT.WS.W.0010.140326T2100Z-140328T1500Z/
GRAND AND BATTLEMENT MESAS-
GORE AND ELK MOUNTAINS/CENTRAL MOUNTAIN VALLEYS- WEST ELK AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS-NORTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS- SOUTHWEST SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SKYWAY...ASPEN...VAIL...SNOWMASS...
CRESTED BUTTE...TAYLOR PARK...MARBLE...OURAY...TELLURIDE...
LAKE CITY...SILVERTON...RICO...HESPERUS
358 AM MDT WED MAR 26 2014

..WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
9 AM MDT FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 AM MDT FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING: SHOWERS WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD LATE THIS AFTERNOON OVER
THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS. INITIALLY THE SNOW LEVELS WILL BE OVER
THE HIGHER PEAKS...BUT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY LOWER SNOW TO
MOUNTAIN PASS LEVEL THIS AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE
OVERNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE REGION.
SOMEWHAT OF A LULL MAY APPEAR THURSDAY MORNING BEHIND THIS FIRST
SYSTEM BUT WILL INCREASE THURSDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE ENDING FRIDAY
MORNING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION: 12 TO 18 INCHES. LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS
MAINLY ABOVE 10000 FEET.

* SNOW LEVEL: INITIALLY AROUND 10000 FEET...THEN LOWERING INTO THE
VALLEYS BY LATE TONIGHT.

* WINDS: SOUTHWEST 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS 35 TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...THEN BECOMING NORTHWEST AND
DIMINISHING BEHIND THE FRONT EARLY THURSDAY MORNING.

* VISIBILITY: AT TIMES BELOW 1/2 MILE IN HEAVY SNOW AND LOCALIZED
BLOWING SNOW.

* IMPACTS: MOUNTAIN ROADS AND HIGHWAYS WILL BE ICY AND SNOW PACKED
AT TIMES. LOCALIZED BLOWING SNOW WILL GREATLY LOWER VISIBILITY
AT TIMES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

&&

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www.weather.gov/