Avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Normal caution is advised.
This afternoon some areas of shallow wet surface snow will form, but the amount will be much less than what was observed over the past few days. Loose wet avalanches are unlikely today. Any isolated human triggered wet loose instability that may occur on SE-S-SW aspects today will be very small, inconsequential, and will not present a significant hazard to backcountry travelers.
Observations made yesterday on Stevens Peak (Carson Pass area) and on Donner Peak (Donner Summit area) revealed evidence of a decent to good overnight snow surface refreeze. In response to daytime warming, 2 to 4 inches of wet surface snow had formed on E-SE-S-SW aspects at noon between 7,400' and 9,800'. By 2 pm on Donner Peak, 6 inches of wet surface snow existed below 7,600' and conditions were becoming unsupportable. Ski cuts on small test slopes at that time began to easily produce small loose wet avalanches. Snowpit data collected on Stevens Peak at 9,720' near the top of the snowfield on the SE side of the peak indicated that previous free water percolation had occurred full height through the 3.5 to 4 foot deep snowpack in the immediate area and that drainage was well established.
