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Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger remains LOW for all elevations and aspects. Other hazards including icy conditions and a shallow snowpack with lots of obstacles remain. Continue to practice safe travel habits and thoughtful decision making when traveling in the backcountry.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Last night the snowpack should have refrozen well before the cloud cover and warmer temperatures moved in after midnight. This strong refreeze, today's widespread cloud cover, continued light winds, and a snowpack with well established drainage channels should prevent any significant wet snow instabilities from forming today. Since sunshine represents the best way to warm, melt, and soften the frozen snow surface, the cooling factors mentioned above especially the cloud cover may also prevent much soft snow from forming today even though temperatures should climb above freezing. If the cloud cover does not become as widespread as forecasted and if some SE-S-SW aspects do receive direct sun today, they may soften for a short time. Otherwise they may remain mostly frozen all day. All other aspects should also remain mostly frozen today.

    While avalanche activity will remain unlikely today, other hazards including icy conditions that could allow for long uncontrollable falls and a shallow snowpack with lots of obstacles to hit remain.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday on Red Lake Peak, the SE-S-SW aspects that received direct sunshine did soften during a short window of time (between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm) before they started to refreeze again. Observations did not reveal any signs of wet snow instabilities. All other aspects in this area remained icy, firm, and frozen all day long. On the northerly aspects, snowpit data indicated that softer snow layers do still exist around the upper rain crusts. Tests on these layers showed that they continue to strengthen and form bonds within themselves and with the layers around them.

Regions covered