Central Sierra Nevada

As the day warms up, shallow, wet snow could form on slopes that get direct sun. Places shaded by clouds or at higher elevations may stay frozen. Avalanches are unlikely. 

Normal caution

Today's weather looks similar to yesterday, with light winds and mild temperatures. Some clouds over the area this morning may delay the snow surface softening. The forecast calls for the skies to clear during the day. The sun and warmer temperatures should still provide enough warming for some shallow, soft, wet snow to form on sunny SE-S-SW aspects at mid to low elevations. Some of the upper elevation slopes or places where cloud-cover lingers may stay mostly frozen today. Any wet snow instabilities should remain limited to small rollerballs or pinwheels. Avalanches are unlikely today.

Talk with your partners before you head out. Make a plan that matches your group's skills and goals with today's snow conditions. Continue to use best-practice backcountry travel techniques like checking your gear before you go, only putting one person on a slope at a time, and keeping your partner in view. 

Recent Observations:

• Variable snow surface conditions exist across the forecast area. Expect to encounter firm ice, shallow unconsolidated snow, wind-packed surfaces, wind-scoured surfaces, breakable crusts, and melt/freeze snow.
• A well-bonded and consolidated snowpack exists on most aspects and elevations. Gradual near-surface faceting continues to weaken the top few inches of snow on some open N-facing slopes sheltered from the winds.  We would need a new snow load on top of this weakening snow before any potential avalanche problems could occur.
• The month of January will go down as one of the driest Januarys on record. This dry January follows one of the wettest Decembers on record.