Central Sierra Nevada

Some wet snow may form on sunny slopes at low and mid-elevations as the day warms up. Less warming and some wind up high may keep upper elevation areas more frozen. Avalanches are unlikely. 

Normal caution

Expect less wind, sunny skies, and slightly warmer temperatures today. Shallow, soft, wet snow may form on SE-S-S aspects at mid and lower elevations. E and NE winds at the upper elevations this morning could delay any surface softening at the higher elevations. Today's warming should not create enough wet snow for significant wet-snow instabilities. A few drifts of wind-blown snow exist near ridgelines from the most recent wind storm, but they remain small and isolated.

Careful pre-trip planning can help your group target conditions and terrain that match your skills and goals.  Continue to use best-practice backcountry travel techniques like carrying proper safety gear, doing trailhead transceiver checks, only putting one person on a slope at a time, and keeping your partner in view. 

Recent Observations:

• Snow surface conditions remain highly variable across the forecast area. Expect to encounter firm ice, all kinds of wind-affected snow, firm wind-packed snow, shallow soft snow, breakable crusts, and melt-freeze snow.
• A well-bonded and consolidated snowpack exists across nearly all aspects and elevations. Gradual near-surface faceting continues to weaken the top portion of the snowpack on most NW-N-NE aspects with wind protection.  A new snow load is needed on top of this developing weak layer before slab avalanche problems occur.