C a s e

H i s t o r i e s

250

200

150

100

50

0

date

Figure 2. Snowfall and base depth at Loveland Basin historical site, November 1, 1995 to February 2, 1996.

and early October. November's snowfall total was 211 cm,
followed by 162cm in Decemberand 399 cmin January.^1.

About one-third 147 cm of the January snow fell from Janu-^{Figure4showsthewindrecordattheCDOT/CAIC}

ary 23 to February 1; from January 30 to February 1, 91 cm^{weather towerfrom 0800 hours on January 27 to 0900 on}

fell(Figure2).Snow waterequivalentsrecordedbythe^{February2.Duringthe 145-hourperiodwinds averaged}

NRCS Snotel site were for October, 74 mm; November, 160^{10.3 m/s from 262 degrees; the hourly peakgusts averaged}

mm;December,61 mm and January, 218 mm.In the week^{20.1 m/s.The fastest one-houraverage during this period}

prior to theavalanche99 mm of water wasrecorded(Figure^{occurred on the 28th between 1100and 1200 hours.For}

3). This included46 mm recordedonJanuary30 to February^{one hourwinds averaged 18.8 m/s from267degrees and}
the peak gust was 39.8 m/s. The strongest sustained winds

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

date

Figure 3. NRCS Snotel snowfall water equivalent at Loveland Basin historical site, November 1, 1995 to February 2, 1996.

258