Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Warm temperatures and strong sunshine will create areas of wet snow instabilities today.  This wet snow, along with overhanging snow along ridges, could slide downhill as rapid warming occurs today.  Identify slopes and areas of concern and move around or avoid where unstable snow may exist.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Near to above overnight freezing temperatures, decreasing NE winds, and warmer daytime temperatures today should all increase wet snow instabilities.  Transitional and variable snow surface conditions exist on most aspects.  Melt freeze crusts have started to form on some lower elevation southerly aspects, but at this point are not well developed or widespread.  The strong sunshine will quickly melt through any surface crusts and expose more wet snow.  Unstable wet snow could form earlier, involving deeper layers of the upper snowpack with the potential for larger wet loose avalanches today.

    Roller balls, pinwheels, and sinking into boot-top deep wet snow can indicate that enough wet snow exists for wet loose avalanches to occur.  When the snow starts to feel wet and mushy, it's time to switch to a different aspect where the snow remains colder or move to lower-angle slopes without steep sunny slopes above.

    (3/17/2024)

    A D1 wet loose avalanche was triggered at 10:30am.  8900'.  South side of Round Top, Carson Pass.

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Large cornices exist along many ridgelines throughout the forecast region.  These cornices will continue to become weaker from the warmer temperatures and strong sunshine this week.  Recent NE winds have eroded some of these cornices, but in other areas they still remain very large in size.  Large falls or chucks of cornice blocks could result from any cornice collapse with the potential for severe consequences.

    Cornice collapses almost always surprise people. They can fail farther back from the edge than expected and break wider than expected. If your route takes you along a corniced ridge, keep exposed rocks or trees between you and the cornice edge. Also, be wary of traveling on slopes under cornices. It's best to avoid these slopes, but if you have to travel on them, spend as little time as possible doing so. 

    (3/16/2024)

    Large drooping cornices in the Blue Lakes area, Carson Pass.

    Photo: Sierra Avalanche Center

Regions covered