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Out of date — this forecast expired 11 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger should remain LOW for all elevations and aspects today since snowfall amounts should remain minimal. Some shallow, small, isolated winds slabs that do not hold enough snow to do much more than knock a person off balance may form on the most heavily wind loaded NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects near ridge lines. Continue to use normal caution when traveling in the backcountry.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    In most areas, data indicates that the current snowpack should have the strength needed to support the meager amount of new snow (up to 3 inches) expected to fall today. Some small isolated wind slabs may form on the most heavily wind loaded slopes due to the combination of strong southwest wind and new snow. Since new snow amounts should remain minimal, the wind slabs that do form should remain shallow, isolated, and they should not extend more than a few feet down slope. These isolated small wind slabs should not involve enough snow to bury a person, but they could push someone off course or knock a person over. Mixed rain and snow below 7500 ft. may also allow some small wet loose snow instabilities like roller balls or pinwheels to form on any lower elevation aspects that hold snow.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday observations on Rubicon Peak showed soft, cold, unconsolidated snow on the north aspects above 7900 ft. and frozen sun crusts and melt freeze crusts on other aspects during the morning hours. By midday yesterday areas of wet sticky snow formed all aspects when the crusts melted away. As the cloud cover moved in, the north aspects started to warm up, and some wet sticky snow formed on them as well. Ski cuts on steep north facing aspects started to trigger some small pinwheels by 1:30 pm. Other than these pinwheels, snowpit tests, ski cuts, and general observations did not reveal any signs of instabilities.

Regions covered