Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The avalanche danger will rise to MODERATE today as loose wet avalanche become possible. Some of these loose wet avalanches may entrain enough snow to bury a person. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully and move to colder shadier slopes once signs of loose wet instabilities like roller balls, pinwheels, or sinking deep into wet snow start to occur. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    More sunshine and even warmer temperatures today will allow loose wet instabilities to become more widespread. These loose wet instabilities could take the form of roller balls, pinwheels, or larger loose wet avalanches. Some of these loose wet avalanches could involve enough snow to bury a person especially in areas where terrain like gullies, slopes that end in cliffs or lakes, or other terrain traps could magnify the consequences of an avalanche. The largest and most widespread loose wet instabilities will occur on sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects and could occur at all elevations. Some smaller more isolated loose wet instabilities may also occur on low elevation northerly aspects. 

    Clues like roller balls, pinwheels, and sinking into wet snow above your boot-tops can indicate that larger loose wet avalanches could occur. Avoid steep slopes where wet snow exists today.  

Avalanche Discussion

Observations on Rubicon Peak and Trimmer Peak yesterday found warm, wet, sticky snow on the sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects by mid-morning. Some of the NE and NW aspects below 8000 ft. also had wet snow on them. Pinwheels and roller balls occurred on the warm slopes by mid-morning and grew in size as the day got warmer. Larger loose wet avalanches could be seen from a distance on the south sides of Incline Lake Peak and Rose Knob Peak. On the true north aspects above 7500 ft, cold soft snow still existed in sheltered areas on Rubicon and Trimmer and wind-affected snow surfaces existed in exposed areas. 

Regions covered