Central Sierra Nevada

A good overnight refreeze plus strong winds, cooler weather, and increased clouds today should help limit the amount of wet snow that forms. Avalanche activity should remain unlikely on a regional scale today. Still, pay attention to your surroundings and be willing to change plans if conditions change.

The avalanche danger will increase as snow and wind impact the area tonight. 

Normal caution

Near or below-freezing temperatures last night should have allowed a good refreeze in most places. Cooler temperatures, strong winds, and increasing cloud cover today should help limit the amount of warming that occurs. The melt-freeze crust could remain supportable all day in many places. A few sunny slopes may soften, especially at lower elevations, but snow surfaces could remain firm for most of the day at upper elevations. 

The cooler weather should also help decrease the chances of additional cornice failures. While these failures may be unlikely today, they are not impossible, and some uncertainty still surrounds these overhanging waves of snow. 

Even though the avalanche danger may be LOW, stay aware while traveling in the backcountry and be willing to change plans if you encounter different conditions than expected or if conditions change. 

The avalanche danger will increase tonight as wind and snow impact the area. 

Recent Observations:

• Glide cracks have started to form on some steep slopes in rocky areas. The exact timing of glide crack avalanches is notoriously difficult to predict. Due to the uncertainty, consider avoiding travel on or below slopes with glide cracks.
• Large cracks have opened up behind many cornices, and falling into one of them could cause problems.
• People have reported numerous wet loose avalanches and cornice failures during the warm weather. Many slopes have debris on them.
• Runnels also exist on many open slopes due to melt water draining through the snowpack.