Eastside Region

Avalanches remain unlikely today. Look out for small pockets of unstable snow in steep or exposed terrain. Monitor for surface warming as temperatures rise this afternoon, and expect a variety of surfaces as you travel.

Little has changed in the stability picture over the last month, and avalanches remain unlikely on a regional scale.  Small amounts of new snow over the last 48 hours may allow for thin wind deposits and small sluffs of unstable snow in steep terrain at higher elevations. If you head into the mountains today, dwindling coverage and variable surfaces are likely to remain top of mind, but it will be prudent to remain on the lookout for signs of drifting near and above tree line as ridgetop winds increase throughout the day. 

 A change in the weather pattern is expected over the next few days, and we are likely to see significant snowfall return to the region. The first round of snow is expected to be modest by Eastern Sierra standards and will likely move into the region early Tuesday morning (2/10). With any luck, we may see several inches of new snow by Thursday morning (2/12).  A more robust storm system is expected to impact the region over Valentine's Day weekend. In the meantime, it remains a good idea to monitor surface conditions and consider what this new snow will be falling on.  Significant surface faceting has occurred over the last month of dry and clear conditions. While this has allowed for soft skiing and riding conditions to persist during our dry spell, it is far from an ideal base for new snow to fall on.

It is exciting to see snow in the forecast after such a long dry period; however, it will be important to shift your mindset back into winter mode in the coming days. You can expect the avalanche hazard to rise as new snow accumulates.