Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Triggering a large avalanche remains possible today, especially near ridges, on open slopes, and in gullies filled with wind-blown snow. If the sun comes out, some wet snow may also slide down steep slopes. Identify areas where unstable snow might exist using clues such as snow surface cracking, recent avalanches, or roller balls or sluffs of wet snow, and move around these areas with caution.

The last daily forecast of the season will be tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14. We will provide intermittent General Avalanche Information bulletins through the end of April as conditions warrant.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Human-triggered avalanches may remain possible today, especially in areas where wind-blown snow has piled up near ridges, on open slopes, and in gullies. Clues like cornices above a slope, wind-textured snow surfaces, and areas of wind-drifted snow can help identify where wind slabs might exist. Recent avalanches and shooting cracks represent clear signs that wind slabs remain unstable. If you feel deeper and slightly stiffer snow in an area, you may be moving into a wind-loaded zone. Look out for these areas and use travel plans that avoid steep, wind-loaded slopes and focus on sheltered terrain to reduce your exposure to wind-slab avalanches. The areas sheltered from the wind may also hold more consistent soft snow.  

    The storm started to taper off last night, giving the storm snow a chance to start bonding to itself and the snow below it. Still, this could take some time, especially in places where stiffer, deeper deposits of new snow exist. like in wind-loaded areas. Wind slab avalanches large enough to bury or injure a person remain possible today. If the April sun comes out today, warming from the sun could make it easier to trigger a wind slab avalanche as well. 

    (4/12/2026)

    D2 storm slab in a wind-loaded area triggered by a ski kick on the ridge above the slope. The storm slab failed on a weakness in the storm snow about 8 to 12 inches below the surface.

    Andesite Peak, Donner Summit

    Photo: Sierra Avalanche Center

  • Loose Wet

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

    Forecasted cloud cover and light to moderate cool north winds should limit the amount of warming that happens today. That being said, it is April, and some areas may experience some sunshine. If the sun does come out, it won't take much to create unstable wet snow, and wet loose avalanches could become possible. Keep an eye on the weather and how the snow feels. If it starts feeling wet and mushy, it's time to move away from avalanche terrain or to a colder area. 

Avalanche Discussion

March and April's record setting heat and strong sun led to record setting snowmelt throughout the forecast area. Before this storm, continuous snow cover was generally limited to NW-N-NE-E aspect terrain above 7,500' to 8,000'. Large areas of bare ground were present on these aspects at lower elevations. With limited exceptions, SE-S-SW-W aspect terrain was mostly bare ground at all elevations before the current snowfall.

Regions covered