Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Triggering an avalanche of any size is unlikely today. Use normal caution while traveling in the backcountry, including best practice travel techniques for travel in avalanche terrain.

Avalanche Discussion

Normal caution

The snowpack has continued to gain strength and stability has improved with the passage of time since the end of the last storm. The Dec 1 through 12 avalanche cycle appears to have run its course. Concerns for any lingering deep persistent instability are now minimal with uncertainty diminishing.

Normal caution remains appropriate for travel in backcountry avalanche terrain at this time. Trailhead transceiver checks, deliberate terrain selection, route planning, along with minimizing avalanche exposure and vulnerability whenever possible within the objective terrain are all part of the normal caution process. Have a quick chat with your travel partners at both the start and end of the day to discuss if there are opportunities for improvement in any of these areas.

Recent Observations:

  • At least a foot of storm snow settlement has occurred since Dec 12.
  • Surface hoar is widespread with some potential to bury it on Tuesday and again on Friday. This is worth keeping an eye on during the 24 hours leading up to any snowfall events.
  • Periods of moderate speed winds from both the E and SW over the past few days have scoured snow near treeline and above treeline with very little new wind slab development in lee areas.
  • Thin sun crusts have formed on the snow surface in many areas of direct sun exposure, mainly on E-SE-S-SW aspects.
  • The faceted snow near the bottom of the snowpack that made up the Dec 1 persistent weak layer (PWL) and the Dec 8 buried surface hoar layer contributed to a predictable but impressive avalanche cycle from Dec 1 to Dec 12. Since Dec 12 we have received no additional reports of new avalanches, snowpack collapses, or whumpfing triggered by backcountry travelers. The Dec 1 PWL is now buried some 4 to 6+ feet deep in the snowpack. Recent snowpit data has shown a trend of little to no reactivity on either of these weak layers along with increasing strength.

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