Central Sierra Nevada

Avalanches remain unlikely today throughout the forecast region.  Pay attention to terrain and snow surfaces as variable and firm conditions exist in many areas.  Plan with your group focusing on the current conditions and appropriate terrain.

Normal caution

Variable snow surface conditions continue to exist throughout the forecast region.  Make sure to develop a plan with your group that focuses on the current conditions and your groups abilities and goals.  Firm snow surfaces could exist throughout the day and present travel issues in steeper exposed terrain.  Adjust your plans and terrain choices if you encounter unexpected or unwanted conditions.

Avalanches remain unlikely throughout the forecast region.  Snow coverage continues to be good on the northern half of the compass with snow cover decreasing on southerly aspects.  Snow surface conditions remain highly variable with wind scoured surfaces, dense wind-buff, exposed rain crust, melt freeze crusts, and isolated areas of soft snow.  Shaded and wind protected northerly aspects have the best chance of finding soft unconsolidated snow where limited previous tracks exist.  Southerly aspects continue to lose snow coverage with developed melt freeze crusts where snow exists.  Southerly aspects are expected to remain firm today with limited snow surface softening due to cold temperatures along with increasing winds and cloud cover.   

Deep open holes, open creeks, and ponded water exist in low lying areas, especially below 8,000'. Some of these hazards exist in isolated distribution at higher elevations.