Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Early this morning, avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Areas of MODERATE danger will form quickly today on all aspects at all elevations on slopes 37 degrees and steeper. Human triggered loose wet avalanches are possible. Natural avalanches are unlikely.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    A weak to fairly poor snow surface refreeze is expected to have occurred last night with above freezing air temperatures and partly to mostly cloudy skies. As daytime warming progresses, snow surface melt will allow for human triggered loose wet avalanches to become possible on all aspects at all elevations. Any avalanches that occur today are expected to be small. Once last night's snow surface refreeze is fully melted and the snowpack becomes unsupportable, move to more northerly aspects or exit from in or below avalanche terrain for the remainder of the day.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations made yesterday on Andesite Peak (Donner Summit area) revealed that clear skies the night before had allowed for enough radiational clooling to create a fairly strong snow surface refreeze on open slopes. Treed areas with a reduced view of the sky held a significantly weaker snow surface refreeze ranging from half of that on open slopes to areas of little to no snow surface refreeze. By 10:30 am, 1 to 2 inches of wet snow in melt phase existed on the snow surface on the NE-E-SE aspects traveled.

Regions covered