Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Early this morning, avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Areas of MODERATE danger will form as the day progresses on all aspects at all elevations on slopes 37 degrees and steeper. Human triggered loose wet avalanches will become possible. Natural avalanches remain unlikely.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    A decent snow surface refreeze is expected to have occurred last night due to radiational cooling under clear skies, despite above freezing air temperatures. As daytime warming progresses, snow surface melt will allow for human triggered loose wet avalanches to become possible on all aspects at all elevations. Any avalanches that occur today are expected to be small. Once last night's snow surface refreeze is fully melted and the snowpack becomes unsupportable, move to more northerly aspects or exit from in or below avalanche terrain for the remainder of the day.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations made yesterday on Tamarack Peak (Mount Rose backcountry) revealed a fairly thin overnight snow surface refreeze and evidence of a rapidly melting snowpack. By 10:45 am, E aspect areas at around 9,650' were becoming marginally skier supportable. Probing of the snowpack depth at the site of the snowpit dug on April 9th on an E aspect at 9,760' revealed that the snowpack had decreased by 18 inches over the previous 6 days. Surrounding areas of SE-S aspects on Rose Knob Peak and Incline Lake Peak had rapidly melted out to bare ground during that time period. Mount Houghton appeared to be one of the few surrounding areas holding continuous snow cover on SE-S aspects, isolated to the 9,400 to 10,500' elevation range.

Regions covered