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THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE
COLORADO AVALANCHE INFORMATION CENTER.

AVALANCHE WATCH FOR THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, AND THE WESTERN PORTIONS
OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS.


* TIMING...ISSUED AT 6 AM MST ON TUESDAY JANUARY 15TH FOR VERY
DANGEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS TO BEGIN TUESDAY EVENING AND
CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY JANUARY 16TH

* AFFECTED AREA...THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, SAN MIGUEL MOUNTAINS, RICO
MOUNTAINS, UNCOMPAHGRE PLATEAU, DALLAS DIVIDE, LA GARITA
MOUNTAINS, LA PLATA MOUNTAINS, NEEDLE MOUNTAINS, GRENADIER RANGE,
ELK AND WEST ELK MOUNTAINS, RUBY RANGE, AND THE GRAND MESA

* AVALANCHE DANGER...A HIGH(LEVEL 4) AVALANCHE DANGER WILL BEGIN
OVERNIGHT IF THE FORECAST MEETS OR EXCEEDS FORECAST SNOW AMOUNTS

* REASON...A POWERFUL WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. EXPECT A HEAVY SNOW
LOAD ON A WEAK SNOWPACK BEGINNING LATE TUESDAY AND CONTINUING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE AVALANCHE DANGER WILL RISE RAPIDLY.
AVALANCHES WILL BE LARGE, EASY TO TRIGGER AND WILL RELEASE
NATURALLY.


* PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL IN
AVALANCHE TERRAIN IS NOT ADVISED BEGINNING TUESDAY EVENING. AS
HEAVY SNOW CONTINUES OVERNIGHT, NATURAL AVALANCHE WILL RELEASE
NATURALLY AND MAY RUN FROM MOUNTAIN TOPS TO VALLEY FLOORS.

CONSULT WWW.COLORADO.GOV/AVALANCHE FOR DETAILED INFORMATION.

LAZAR