Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 6 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Cool winds and increasing cloud cover from the south should keep significant avalanche activity unlikely today. Some small wet snow instabilities are not impossible on isolated terrain features sheltered from the wind where cloud cover does not block the sun. LOW avalanche danger exists at all elevations.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Despite warmer temperatures and some sunshine, forecasted cloud cover and ENE winds should provide enough cooling to limit the wet snow instabilities that form today. The forecast calls for more significant cloud cover south of HWY 50 making wet snow even less of an issue in the southern part of the forecast area. Still, some small roller balls near rocks or human triggered pinwheels may occur on steep sunny slopes protected from the NE winds. A small sluff of loose wet snow is also not impossible on an isolated terrain feature especially in the northern part of the forecast area.

    Continue to travel with normal caution in the backcountry and watch for changing snow conditions as the day warms up. Going early or going to more shaded colder aspects can lead to finding softer colder snow and avoiding wet sticky snow. These safety margins based on timing and aspect can also help limit potential exposure to an isolated and unlikely but not impossible loose wet avalanche.

Avalanche Discussion

* Variable conditions existed on Silver Peak and Stevens Peak yesterday with soft cold snow lingering on shady northerly aspects and warmer sticky snow on more sun-exposed southerly aspects. In some areas, the recent snow rested on firm supportable crusts, in other areas it sat on softer snow, and in other places wind-scoured surfaces existed. 

* Yesterday soft slabs of wind drifted snow up to 6 inches deep existed on leeward slopes near ridgelines on Silver Peak. Snowpit tests and ski cuts did not reveal any signs of wind slab instability. No signs of wind slab instability were reported on Stevens Peak either.

* Cloud cover and winds yesterday seemed to limit the amount of warming on Stevens Peak and Silver Peak yesterday.

Regions covered