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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Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

MODERATE avalanche danger still exists at all elevations and on all aspects on slopes 35 degrees and steeper due to a mix of loose wet snow and wind slabs.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Rain on snow and warm temperatures should have prevented much of a refreeze last night meaning that wet snow remains widespread across all aspects below 8500 ft. Human triggered loose wet avalanche activity will remain possible on slopes 35 degrees and steeper on all aspects below 8500 ft. Some natural loose wet avalanche activity could also occur. Most of these wet snow instabilities should remain limited to roller balls, pinwheels, and small wet snow sluffs, but some of them could entrain enough snow to cause problems for backcountry travelers. Wet slab avalanche activity should remain unlikely but isolated wet slabs are not impossible today.

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Above 8500 ft. new snow and strong winds could have formed new winds slabs on the leeward NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects in near and above treeline terrain. These wind slabs should remain small due to the small amounts of new snow received overnight but could reach up to 1 ft. in depth in some areas. Human triggering of these wind slabs will be possible today.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday wet snow existed on all aspects near Becker Peak and on Tamarack Peak. Ski cuts triggered loose wet roller balls at all elevations in both areas. In the Becker Peak area some larger wet snow sluffs resulted from ski cuts on steep N-NE facing tests slopes and pinwheels up to 8 ft. in diameter resulted from dropping small cornice pieces onto slopes. General observations in both areas and formal snowpit tests on Tamarack Peak did not indicate any slab instabilities.

Regions covered