Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 9 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger will remain LOW today. Some small loose wet avalanche problems may still form on some isolated terrain features as the day warms up. Slab avalanches remain unlikely.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Today's warming should melt through last night's refreeze allowing wet snow to form on sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects. In most places, this wet snow should not get very deep due to a combination of limited snow cover on S-SW-W aspects, well-established drainage channels in the existing snowpack, and the potential for some afternoon clouds. Some small loose wet snow instabilities like roller balls, pinwheels, or loose wet avalanches that do not entrain enough snow to bury a person (D1 in size) may form on isolated terrain features. Steep E-SE aspects where more snow exists and/or where the recent snow has not fully transitioned to melt-freeze snow represent the best places to trigger a small, isolated loose wet avalanche.

Avalanche Discussion

* Spring-like corn snow formed on SE-S-SW aspects where snow cover existed on Red Lake Peak and in the Bear Valley backcountry above 8400 ft. yesterday. Ski cuts on E aspects on Red Lake Peak triggered small roller balls around midday.

* Little to no snow cover exists on the sun-exposed SE-S-SW aspects below 8400 ft. in the Bear Valley backcountry. 

* Large cornice collapses had occurred in the last week along exposed ridgelines above Underwood Bowl (Bear Valley backcountry).

* Snowpit data and observations on northerly aspects above 8100 ft. in the Bear Valley backcountry showed a well-consolidated snowpack with cold unconsolidated surface snow on some open true N facing slopes and wet sticky snow/breakable crusts on tree covered slopes or on more sun-exposed NW and ENE aspects. 

Regions covered