Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
Out of date — this forecast expired 11 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Minor loose wet instabilities are expected during the afternoon hours. Loose wet avalanches large enough to bury or injure a person are unlikely. Normal caution is advised. Sufficient snow cover for avalanche activity on SE-S-SW-W aspects exists only in isolated portions of the forecast area. Much deeper, continuous snow cover exists on NW-N-NE-E aspects.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    A strong and supportable snow surface refreeze is expected to have occurred last night with near to below freezing air temperatures aided by radiational cooling under clear skies. As daytime warming progresses, areas of surface wet snow will form on sun exposed slopes. With the snowpack already subject to periods of rain and prolonged melt earlier this winter, free water drainage from the snowpack is well established. With little to no snow cover on the vast majority of SE-S-SW-W aspects, minimal instability concerns are expected on those aspects. E aspects continue to hold significant snow cover around the vast majority of the forecast area and will experience surface wet snow formation up to several inches deep by this afternoon. With free water drainage well established, wet snow instability is expected to be limited to human triggered roller balls and human triggered loose wet sluffs that require a push to set into motion in steep terrain. Loose wet avalanches large enough to bury or injure a person are unlikely today.

Avalanche Discussion

Observations made yesterday on Rubicon Peak (West Shore Tahoe area) indicated that a strong overnight snow surface refreeze had occurred in the area. At 12:15 pm, the snow surface on E aspects held 0.5 to 2 inches of wet surface snow on top of ski and boot supportable melt-freeze crust from just below the summit rock tower at ~9,100' down to the transition from continuous snow cover to patchy snow cover at ~8,200. Snow cover on NW-N-NE aspects in this area is nonexistent below 7,500', patchy between 7,500' and 7,800', and continuous above 7,800'. The snow surface on NW-N-NE aspects remained firm and supportable upon departure from the area at 1 pm. No signs of wet snow instability were observed.

Across the forecast area in general, sufficient snow cover for avalanche activity on SE-S-SW-W aspects exists only in isolated areas. Much deeper, continuous snow cover exists on NW-N-NE-E aspects.

Regions covered