Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Sunny skies and warm temperatures could create unstable wet snow as daytime warming occurs today.  If the snow surface becomes deep and unsupportable, it's time to move to another location and out of avalanche terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Mostly clear overnight skies should have helped with a snow surface refreeze through radiational cooling even though temperatures were above freezing at many remote sensor locations overnight.  Thick and supportable melt freeze crusts exist throughout most of the forecast region.  Sunny skies, warm temperatures, and decreasing winds will start to melt and break down these melt freeze crusts over the next several days.  Wet loose avalanches will become possible as the snow surface becomes wet, deep, and unsupportable.

    Monitor the snow surface while out in the backcountry.  Roller balls, pinwheels, and sinking into the snow knee deep, will all be signs of unstable wet snow.  Getting an early start or utilizing areas out of avalanche terrain will be a couple options to help mitigate avalanche concerns if unstable wet snow develops. 

Avalanche Discussion

  • Snow continues to melt on all aspects and elevations around the forecast region. Many NW-N-NE-E aspects still have decent snow coverage. Large areas of bare ground on SE-S-SW aspects have made traveling on snow more challenging on those aspects.
  • Open creeks, areas of open water, and areas with thin snow on top of running water are becoming more prevalent.

Regions covered