Blog

Gov. Polis & CDHS Launch SEE ME Campaign to Battle Stigma of Behavioral Health Conditions
DENVER– Gov. Jared Polis joined Michelle Barnes, executive director at the Department of Human Services, to launch the new SEE ME campaign, to address the stigma associated with getting mental health or substance use disorder support. The campaign is designed to complement the work of the Colorado Behavioral Health Task Force (BHTF) and provide an opportunity for all Coloradans to take action in support of behavioral health system reform.

“This campaign is about ending the stigma for the one million Coloradans living with a behavioral health condition or substance abuse disorder,” said Governor Jared Polis. “This just one step toward reforming our behavioral health system, but a critical one. We want to ensure that Colorado is a state where anyone who needs services can get them without fear of judgement.”

“We have an unprecedented opportunity to positively influence the future of the behavioral health system in Colorado,” shared CDHS Executive Director, Michelle Barnes. “Many Coloradans are touched by mental health conditions or addiction disorders either personally or by someone they know. But, they are not reaching out for help because of the stigma associated with mental health conditions and substance use. The SEE ME campaign gives a voice and face to those impacted and takes us one step closer to reducing stigma and shame.”

SEE ME Colorado will move Coloradans from awareness to action by engaging them through the following campaign components:
- The 14-Day Challenge, which includes prompts ranging from engaging in the conversation about changing the behavioral health system, to new ways to pay it forward and see more than a diagnosis.
- The SEE ME pledge, which Coloradans can sign to acknowledge that they will ask for help and help those around them when needed.
- The virtual story wall, where Coloradans can submit their experiences with mental health conditions, addiction disorders and their experiences with Colorado’s behavioral health system.
Gov. Polis was also joined by Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, Rick Garcia, Executive Director at the Department of Local Affairs, Stan Hilkey, Executive Director at the Department of Public Safety, and Dean Williams, Executive Director at the Department of Corrections.

Current State of Colorado’s Behavioral Health

Colorado dedicates over one billion dollars annually to its behavioral health system yet it has among the highest suicide rates in the country. Many national rankings place Colorado in the bottom quarter of states when evaluating the quality of behavioral health and access to care. According to Governor Jared Polis, “Providing upstream care and services through community behavioral health promotes the health, well-being, and civil rights of our citizens and also ensures we are using state resources effectively.”

Please visit https://seemecolorado.com/ to join the cause.

ABOUT BHTF

The Colorado BHTF was formed in the spring of 2019 at the request of Governor Polis. The task force is intended to shape the future of behavioral health services in Colorado. BHTF has been charged with creating a statewide blueprint to ensure that all Coloradans have access to timely, high-quality and affordable behavioral health services within their communities.

If you have questions, contact Madlynn Ruble, Deputy Director of Communications, by email at ; or by phone at 303-866-3411 (office).

To learn more about the campaign or to take the challenge, visit the website.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US
December 11, 2019
‘Arguably the best meteor shower of the entire year’ to reach its pinnacle this week

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and staff writer

As the year nears its close, many people are already looking ahead to 2020, but stargazers remain focused on 2019 as one of the year’s top meteor showers is about to put on a dazzling display in the night sky.

“Arguably the best meteor shower of the entire year peaks on Friday night into the early hours of Saturday morning,” AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said. “The Geminids shower is just as or slightly more active than the Perseids meteor shower of August.”

This meteor shower in particular is a good one for younger children that cannot stay up late into the night.

“The Geminids are unique in the fact it produces a large amount of meteors during the evening,” Samuhel said. Hourly rates will gradually increase as the night transpires, with the number of Geminid meteors streaking across the night sky expected to climax after midnight.

Nature’s ‘light show’ is how NASA describes the Geminid meteor shower – a meteor flash is seen here with an aurora borealis shimmer in Norway. (NASA)

The 2019 showing of the Geminids may bring as many as 150 meteors per hour, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS), but onlookers should tamper their expectations as the shower peaks the night after December’s full Cold Moon.

An abundance of natural light pollution from the moon will wash out the dimmer meteors, reducing the number of meteors visible per hour from over 100 to a few dozen. However, even the anticipated diminished rate of visible meteors is higher than many meteor showers throughout the year.

Not only are the Geminids known for their impressive numbers, but also their bright, multi-colored meteors. Onlookers should be able to see these shooting stars in areas of the sky away from the full moon, as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

“A storm will bring widespread clouds to the eastern third of the country,” Samuhel said. The storm will also spread widespread, disruptive clouds over much of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

Cloudy conditions could interfere with the celestial display across parts of the north-central and northwestern U.S., but a few breaks in the clouds may allow determined stargazers to glimpse a few shooting stars.

The best viewing conditions are expected from Southern California through the Four Corners region and into the southern Plains.

For those with clouds in the forecast on Friday night, Samuhel suggests heading out earlier in the week.

“In my experience, I have noticed the shower is quite active in the few days leading up to the peak, but much less active after the peak. So, look sooner rather than later this week,” Samuhel said.

“If you live on the East Coast, Thursday night is probably your best bet for clear skies this week.”

Folks that miss out on the Geminids this week will have one more opportunity to see a meteor shower before the end of the year.

The night of Saturday, Dec. 21 into Sunday, Dec. 22, is the longest of the year for the Northern Hemisphere and will feature the peak of the Ursids. This is a minor meteor shower, only bringing about 10 meteors per hour, but will not be contested by the moon, allowing for great viewing conditions.

Looking ahead to 2020, the Geminid meteor shower should be significantly better than this year’s showing, falling just one night before the new moon. This will allow for people in dark, cloud-free areas to experience the best that this meteor shower has to offer.

December 11, 2019
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Starting Winter Big-Game Classification / Capture Flights in Southwest Colorado

MONTROSE, Colo. – As part of its ongoing work to monitor the health of the state’s big-game herds, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has started its winter classification and capture flights in southwest Colorado.

CPW biologists use the flights to observe and record trends in deer and elk populations. Employing survey methods used for decades, biologists are flown by helicopter over areas where animals historically congregate during the winter months. Using a specialized “counting” technique, biologists record their observations of female, male and young animals. This allows biologists to understand the ratio of male-to-female animals following the hunting seasons, and ratios of young-to-female animals going into winter.

“We use our classification data, harvest data and collar data to plug into our computer models and determine trends in the health of herds and make population estimates,” said Brad Banulis, a terrestrial biologist for CPW in Montrose.

The classification data, population models and herd-management plans provide big-game managers with the information needed for setting license numbers for the next fall’s hunting seasons.

People on the ground who sometimes see the helicopters will notice a change in the type of aircraft being used this year. In past years, CPW contracted with a company that flew a yellow helicopter – small with a large glass bubble. This year a larger, white helicopter is being used.

Besides the classification flights, CPW also utilizes helicopters for long-term studies that are examining survival of deer and elk. For example, on the Uncompahgre Plateau west of Montrose, CPW has used helicopters to catch and place telemetry collars on deer since 1997. In the Gunnison area, similar captures have been used for deer and elk-survival studies occasionally over the years.

The biggest project for the agency involves capturing and monitoring elk in the southern tier of the state where calf-to-cow ratios have been declining for the last decade. The purpose of the project, which started last spring, is to determine why survival of young elk is declining in southern Colorado. For this study, elk are being captured in the area west of Trinidad, on the Uncompahgre Plateau and in the Glenwood Springs-Carbondale area. Captures near Craig are also being done to act as a “control” in the study; elk in northern Colorado are doing very well.

Captures for the long-term elk research started last spring when about 100 cow elk were captured. Pregnant cows were fitted with telemetry collars. In the spring, technicians on the ground captured and collared newly born elk. In the next few weeks more young elk, about six months old, will be captured and collared.

The telemetry collars are GPS equipped, so biologists can watch their computers to see how elk are moving and if any animals die. In case of a mortality, biologists go to the site, examine the animals, and attempt to determine cause of death. The study is scheduled to continue for six years.

“This is a very big and important study. We expect that it will provide valuable data, but it will be at least a year before we’ll have relevant information,” Banulis said.

To learn more about big-game management in Colorado, go to: https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/BigGame.aspx.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 11, 2019
Bennet Welcomes New Banking Guidelines for Hemp Farmers and Processors

Following Bennet Letter to Federal Financial Regulators, New Guidance Will Help Hemp Industry Access Banking System

Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet welcomed new guidance from federal financial regulators that would help hemp producers and processors gain access to the banking system. Despite the removal of hemp as a Schedule 1 drug last December following passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”), many growers and processors are still unable to access financial services due to a lack of clarity from regulators. In June, Bennet sent a letter pressing regulators to provide the clarity necessary for the hemp industry to access the financial services afforded to comparable crops and agricultural products.

“The hemp industry is booming in Colorado and across the country, yet hemp-related businesses continue to face significant hurdles due to the lack of access to the banking system,” said Bennet. “While more needs to be done to unleash hemp’s economic potential, these new guidelines are a significant step forward in providing banks and credit unions with the assurance and clarity needed to remove this barrier and open their doors to the growing hemp industry.”

Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, worked to include a pilot program for hemp growers in the 2014 Farm Bill, which paved the way to secure legalization of the crop in the 2018 Farm Bill. Last Congress he led the Hemp Water Rights Act and called on the Department of Justice not to interfere with hemp cultivation or act against financial institutions that handle related funds. Bennet and U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) wrote to the Bureau of Reclamation in January 2019 urging the agency to update its policies in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill to ensure hemp growers can access water and irrigate their crops. In their response to the Bennet-Tester letter, the Bureau of Reclamation said: “Because hemp was removed from the Controlled Substances Act list of controlled substances, it is no longer subject to the policy and therefore Reclamation is able to provide water for hemp cultivation in accordance with current law.”

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 11, 2019

Mail Call for Overseas Military, Diplomatic Service Members

HOLIDAY SEASON SHIPPING DEADLINES ARE APPROACHING

Thousands of men and women in the nation’s military and diplomatic corps are serving abroad during the holidays. The mail is a great way to stay connected with them by sending cards, letters, presents and care packages for the festive season.

To send packages to loved ones serving in the military abroad, the Postal Service offers a discount on its Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box. The $18.45 price includes a $1.50 per box discount for mail sent to APO / FPO / DPO destinations worldwide. Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes are available at no cost at local Post Offices, or can be ordered online at usps.com/freeboxes.

To help with timely delivery of holiday wishes by Dec. 25, cards and packages to military addresses overseas should be sent no later than:

OVERSEAS MILITARY DEADLINES

Dec. 11 – Cards, Letters, and Priority Mail Packages

Dec. 18 – Priority Mail Express

FREE MILITARY BOXES AND SUPPLIES

The Postal Service has created a free Military Care Kit based on the items most frequently requested by military families. The kit contains address labels, tape, boxes, and customs forms.

To order the kit, call 800-610-8734 or go to: store.usps.com/store/product/shipping-supplies/military-care-kit-P_MILITARYKIT. Guidelines for packing, addressing and shipping items to U.S. troops can be also found at: https://www.usps.com/ship/apo-fpo-dpo.htm.

Postage, labels, and customs forms can be printed online anytime using Click-N-Ship at usps.com/ship. While you are at usps.com, you can also print your shipping labels, pay for postage, and call for your letter carrier to pick up your Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express items at your home or business for free (where available).

MAIL PREPARATION TIPS:

Use good strong boxes and good strong packing tape. No duct tape or masking tape. No string or wire. No shoeboxes.
Don’t use boxes from a liquor store. Boxes that indicate there is alcohol inside cannot be mailed.
Don’t ship anything with a lithium battery.
Always include a return address on the parcel, and include destination/return address on a card inside the parcel (in case the address on the parcel is rendered unreadable).
Never use holiday wrapping paper around your parcel. Wrapping paper is very thin and isn’t suitable in the high speed sorting machines.

ADDRESSING THE PACKAGE

Write the service member’s full name
Include the unit and APO/FPO/DPO address with the 9-digit ZIP Code (if one is assigned). For example:

Army/Air Post Office (APO)

PFC JANE DOE

PSC 3 BOX 4120

APO AE 09021

Fleet Post Office (FPO)

SEAMAN JOSEPH SMITH

UNIT 100100 BOX 4120

FPO AP 96691

Diplomatic Post Office (DPO)

MELANIE ADAMS

UNIT 8400 BOX 0000

DPO AE 09498-0048

· Do not write the country name where the service member is stationed in the address

· Include a return address

· Inside the box, include the service member’s name and address as well as the sender’s name and address on an index card in case the shipping label gets damaged in transit

Additional news and information, including all domestic, international and military mailing and shipping deadlines, can be found at the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom at usps.com/holidaynews

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 10, 2019

Statement of Senate Cybersecurity Caucus Co-Chairs Gardner and Warner

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Mark R. Warner (D-VA), the bipartisan co-chairs of the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus, issued a statement after convening a classified briefing with Senators and Chris Krebs, Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), to discuss the growing threat posed by ransomware attacks:

“The continued prevalence of ransomware should really capture our attention. It’s costly, devastatingly high-impact, growing, and, in most cases, easily preventable with basic responsible cybersecurity practices.

“Ransomware and its destructive cousin wiperware are designed to inflict fear and uncertainty, disrupt vital services, and sow distrust in public institutions. While often viewed as basic digital extortion, ransomware has had materially adverse impacts on markets, social services like education, water, and power, and on healthcare delivery, as we have seen in a number of states and municipalities across the United States.

“We are glad our colleagues in the Senate Cybersecurity Caucus could join Director Krebs for this much-needed conversation about ways Congress and the federal government can better address this important issue.”

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 6, 2019
Massive storm looming over Pacific to wreak havoc up and down West Coast

By Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist

After one storm system walloped Southern California and Arizona with heavy rain and high-country snow this week, a much larger storm is set to slam Central and Northern California with a wide array of impacts from Friday into Saturday.

Although the center of the storm system will move ashore in Oregon later Saturday into Saturday night, the worst of the impacts will occur farther to the south.

Heavy rain and gusty winds will target coastal areas from San Francisco northward into southern Oregon spanning Friday into Saturday, as well as the Central Valley’s I-5 corridor from Sacramento to Redding.

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada will also be hit hard with flooding downpours during this time.

A general 1-2 inches of rain is forecast in the lowest elevations of the I-5 corridor and San Francisco Bay area, while 2-4 inches is more likely in coastal areas of Northern California.

It is in the coastal ranges and foothills of the Sierra, however, that rainfall totals of 3-6 inches will occur. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 8 inches is anticipated in these regions.

Because California is no longer suffering from drought and has actually been abnormally wet over the past one to two weeks, the heavy rainfall will significantly heighten the risk for flooding and mudslides, especially in burn-scar areas from this year’s wildfires.

Significant travel delays and road closures are also likely, especially in areas where stream and river flooding occurs or where mudslides cover roadways or cause them to collapse.

“In addition to the extreme amounts of rain, falling snow levels will allow snow to accumulate across the higher terrain of the Sierra Nevada, which will act as a boon for local ski resorts,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Snow levels will likely fall below 5,000 feet in the Cascades and northern Rockies on Saturday and as low as 5,500 feet in the Sierra Nevada.

Spanning Friday to Saturday night, AccuWeather meteorologists expect at least 1-2 feet of snow to bury Donner Pass along I-80 in Northern California with 2-4 feet in the highest elevations.

An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 50 inches of snow is expected in the highest terrain of Northern California.

Motorists traveling through the Sierra Nevada should be aware of chain requirements and be prepared with an emergency survival kit in case their vehicle breaks down or stalls.

“While major snowfall accumulations farther north in the Washington and Oregon cascades are not expected from this storm system, any snow will be beneficial since these areas are suffering from abnormally dry conditions,” Buckingham added.

In addition to the copious amounts of rain and snow slated for the end of the week and start of the weekend, gusty winds will buffet the northern half of California and southern part of Oregon.

Wind gusts of 40-50 mph will threaten to cause sporadic power outages and may help weaken loose topsoil inundated by too much water, further enhancing the risk of mudslides. Blizzard conditions may occur at times in the Sierra Nevada.

Drier conditions should gradually return from Sunday into Monday as the storm system pushes into the Rockies and Plains.

Looking ahead into next week, storm-weary residents of California should finally catch a break from the onslaught as the storm track shifts farther north into the Pacific Northwest.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 5, 2019
Bennet, Casey Urge Administration to Stop Obstructing Efforts to Deliver Benefits to Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange

Denver – Today, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) sent a letter to Trump Administration officials urging them to stop obstructing access to health benefits and disability compensation for approximately 83,000 veterans, some from Colorado and Pennsylvania.

Following a federally-mandated National Academies of Medicine (NAM) study on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange, Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Mick Mulvaney declined to include illnesses determined by the NAM study to be linked to exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals used during the Vietnam War as presumptive conditions.

“By refusing to include these illnesses on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) list of Agent Orange presumptive benefits, OMB is acting in direct opposition to the NAM’s analysis of peer-reviewed reports that suggest otherwise,” wrote Bennet and Casey in their letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie and OMB Director Mulvaney. “We encourage you to acknowledge the scientific based evidence and the recommendation of the previous VA Secretary David Shulkin, and designate these conditions to the presumptive list for Agent Orange exposure.”

The senators also expressed concern over the delay in implementation of new legislation to expand Agent Orange benefits to Navy Vietnam veterans, demanding the administration prioritize and process their claims as soon as possible.

“These veterans and their families have waited long enough for access to the benefits for which they are eligible and desperately need,” wrote the senators. “Our nation must live up to the promises it has made to the men and women who have sacrificed much by serving in uniform.”

The text of the letter is available HERE and below.

Dear Director Mulvaney and Secretary Wilkie:

We write to express our serious concern regarding delays for veterans who are suffering from illnesses related to their exposure to Agent Orange. The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) decision to exclude bladder cancer, hypertension, Parkinsonism, and hypothyroidism as diseases linked to Agent Orange is frustrating and unfair. This delay denies approximately 83,000 veterans, many from Colorado and Pennsylvania, faster access to disability compensation and health benefits.

As you know, Congress has mandated that the National Academies of Medicine (NAM) publish updated reports that comprehensively evaluate scientific and medical information about the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides used during the Vietnam War. The 2016 NAM report Veterans and Agent Orange Update 2014 states, “sufficient evidence of an association between exposure to at least one of the chemicals of interest and hypertension.” This report also determined there is “limited and suggestive evidence” that offers a link between Agent Orange exposure and bladder cancer and hypothyroidism. By refusing to include these illnesses on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) list of Agent Orange presumptive benefits, OMB is acting in direct opposition to the NAM’s analysis of peer-reviewed reports that suggest otherwise. We encourage you to acknowledge the scientific based evidence and the recommendation of the previous VA Secretary David Shulkin, and designate these conditions to the presumptive list for Agent Orange exposure.

We are also concerned by the delay in the implementation of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, signed into law on June 25, which expands Agent Orange benefits to veterans who served aboard ships offshore and in the harbors of Vietnam. These veterans and their families have waited long enough for access to the benefits for which they are eligible and desperately need. The administration should prioritize and process these claims as soon as possible.

Our nation must live up to the promises it has made to the men and women who have sacrificed much by serving in uniform. Thank you and we look forward to your response.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 4, 2019
Colorado’s Governor, Adjutant General to preside over Colorado State Capitol holiday tree lighting

By By Colorado National Guard Public Affairs

CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and The Adjutant General of Colorado U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael Loh will preside over the State of Colorado Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at the north foyer of the State Capitol, Denver, Dec. 5, 2019, at 11:30 a.m.

The State of Colorado’s Holiday tree tradition follows very closely with those ceremonies celebrated in all 50 states. The 2019 Colorado tree is decorated in the states colors – red, white, blue and gold – which honors all those who serve under the Colorado state flag.

The Governor’s Office and Capitol Complex Grounds Employees decorate the tree.The tree is a sub-alpine fir. The Colorado State Forest Service, Fort Collins, Colorado, harvested it at 8,500 feet in northern Larimer County on State Trust Land as part of wildfire mitigation efforts. A Colorado National Guard color guard and 101st Army Band will also participate in the ceremony. The ceremony is open to the public. The State Capitol is at 200 East Colfax, Denver, CO 80203.

CONTACT: Staff Sergeant Joseph VonNida, 720-250-1058,

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 4, 2019
Powerful storm to slam West Coast with feet of snow, flooding rain late this week

By Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist

After one storm system wallops Southern California and Arizona with heavy rain and high-country snow through Wednesday night, a much larger storm is set to slam Central and Northern California with a wide array of impacts from Friday into Saturday.

Although the center of the storm system will move ashore in Oregon later Saturday into Saturday night, the worst of the impacts will occur farther to the south.

Heavy rain and gusty winds will target coastal areas from San Francisco northward into southern Oregon spanning Friday into Saturday, as well as the Central Valley’s I-5 corridor from Sacramento to Redding.

The foothills of the Sierra Nevada will also be hit hard with flooding downpours during this time.

A general 1-2 inches of rain is forecast in the lowest elevations of the I-5 corridor and San Francisco Bay area, while 2-4 inches is more likely in coastal areas of Northern California.

It is in the coastal ranges and foothills of the Sierra, however, that rainfall totals of 3-6 inches will occur. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 8 inches is anticipated in these regions.

Because California is no longer suffering from drought and has actually been abnormally wet over the past one to two weeks, the heavy rainfall will significantly heighten the risk for flooding and mudslides, especially in burn-scar areas from this year’s wildfires.

Significant travel delays and road closures are also likely, especially in areas where stream and river flooding occurs or where mudslides cover roadways or cause them to collapse.

“In addition to the extreme amounts of rain, falling snow levels will allow snow to accumulate across the higher terrain of the Sierra Nevada, which will act as a boon for local ski resorts,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Snow levels will likely fall below 5,000 feet in the Cascades and northern Rockies on Saturday and as low as 5,500 feet in the Sierra Nevada.

Spanning Friday to Saturday night, AccuWeather meteorologists expect at least 1-2 feet of snow to bury Donner Pass along I-80 in Northern California with 2-4 feet in the highest elevations.

An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 50 inches of snow is expected in the highest terrain of Northern California.

Motorists traveling through the Sierra Nevada should be aware of chain requirements and be prepared with an emergency survival kit in case their vehicle breaks down or stalls.

“While major snowfall accumulations farther north in the Washington and Oregon cascades are not expected from this storm system, any snow will be beneficial since these areas are suffering from abnormally dry conditions,” Buckingham added.

In addition to the copious amounts of rain and snow slated for the end of the week and start of the weekend, gusty winds will buffet the northern half of California and southern part of Oregon.

Wind gusts of 40-50 mph will threaten to cause sporadic power outages and may help weaken loose topsoil inundated by too much water, further enhancing the risk of mudslides. Blizzard conditions may occur at times in the Sierra Nevada.

Drier conditions should gradually return from Sunday into Monday as the storm system pushes into the Rockies and Plains.

Looking ahead into next week, storm-weary residents of California should finally catch a break from the onslaught as the storm track shifts farther north into the Pacific Northwest.

SPREAD THE NEWS

COMMENT, Like, Follow & SHARE @I70Scout

CURRENT EDITION

WEATHER & TRAFFIC PUZZLES RECENT NEWS ADVERTISE WITH US

December 4, 2019