Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Continued gale force winds last night and this morning combined with some new snowfall are keeping avalanche concerns ongoing and increasing them in areas that receive 3 to 4" inches or more of new snow. People triggering avalanches in the places where blowing snow has accumulated is the main concern. Identify and avoid areas that appear to have been filled in by blowing and drifting snow rather than scoured out by the wind.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Gale force SW winds blowing and drifting snow over the past two days has allowed for wind slabs to build and a few avalanches to occur.  Reports were received yesterday of a small unintentionally triggered wind slab avalanche near Stanford Rock (Ward Canyon area) and of a likely naturally triggered wind slab avalanche on Silver Peak (Pole Creek area). 1 to 5 inches of new snow added to the already blowing and drifted old snow from the past two days is further increasing the wind slab avalanche problem today.

    With wind gusts peaking at around 140 mph last night and a few inches of new snow, expect to encounter more wind slabs distributed below treeline today. This is in addition to the wind slabs that exist in the more usual locations near treeline and above treeline on NW-N-NE-E-SE aspects. We also saw some shallow wind slabs drift in on top of intact surface hoar in the southern portion of the forecast area. This could make wind slabs easier to trigger today in locations where that layering exists.

    Identify the areas where wind drifted snow has accumulated. Blowing snow, recent avalanches, cornices along the top or down the side of a slope, slopes or gullies that look filled in by drifted snow rather than scoured out, or snow surface cracking are all easily identifiably clues that the wind slab avalanche problem is nearby. Identifying and avoiding is the tactic for today.

    (1/3/2022)

    Small wind slab avalanche, unintentionally triggered by a snowboarder on a wind loaded convex roll near Stanford Rock, CA. N aspect at around 7,700'.

Regions covered