Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Highlights

Strong April sunshine and warmer temperatures will cause widespread areas of unstable wet snow to form today.  Wet loose avalanches are likely as daytime warming occurs.  Strong winds will cause slabs of wind-blown snow to form in new areas near ridges and in gully features.  Make a plan to avoid areas where unstable snow will exist today.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Intense April sunshine today will quickly form wet surface snow as daytime warming occurs.  This will be the first major warm up since this past storm system deposited up to a couple feet of new snow.  This snow will become wet on most aspects and elevations today as daytime warming occurs.  Strong NE winds may prevent some wet snow development on wind exposed higher elevation terrain.  Widespread wet loose avalanche activity is expected throughout the day.  In some areas, these wet loose avalanches could be large in size, entraining most of the recent storm snow.

    Roller balls and pinwheels will be indicators that the snow surface is losing strength and that larger wet loose avalanches could occur.  Once the snow surface becomes wet and deep, it's time to move away from avalanche terrain or change aspects to where colder snow exists.  Aspect, elevation, and timing will be critical today to find the best snow quality and avoid this avalanche problem.

    (3/30/2024)

    Wet loose avalanche on Flagpole Peak.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    SW winds shifted to the NE-E yesterday evening.  These winds have increased to gale force overnight with gusts up to 60-80mph.  Large amounts of available snow existed for wind transport due to the recent storm.  New wind slabs have formed overnight on SE-S-SW-W-NW aspects and will continue to build as the winds remain strong through today.  Daytime warming may further weaken some of these wind slabs causing easier to trigger or natural wind slab avalanches today.    

    Look for blowing snow, new cornice development, and snow surface clues to determine where these new wind slabs have formed.  Gully features may be top loaded or cross loaded today.  Identify where wind loaded slopes will exist and move around these areas of concern. 

    (3/31/2024)

    Wind slab avalanche on Talking Mountain.  Echo Lakes area.

Avalanche Discussion

Large cornices have formed during this recent storm event on NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects.  Strong NE winds overnight have eroded and scoured these cornices and will limit some warming and melt today.  Some cornice collapses may become possible later today as daytime warming occurs.  This will become a larger concern on Tuesday as winds decrease and temperatures further increase. 

Regions covered