Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

We have had three nights in a row of poor refreeze conditions and will continue to see record daytime warmth. Unstable areas of wet snow are expected nearly all day today. Consider avoiding travel in or below avalanche terrain in areas where wet snow is more than a few inches deep, especially if it feels unsupportable.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Don't be fooled by seemingly firm conditions at the trailhead this morning or on previously compacted snow surfaces. The coldest air by far last night was on the mountain valley floors. Air temps were in the mid 40s for most locations mid slope and higher on the peaks overnight. In most areas above the valley floors, a weak and very superficial snow surface refreeze is expected to have occurred on open slopes and likely a very weak to nonexistent refreeze occurred under the forest canopy. Cumulative amounts of deep wet snow have formed over the past few days that is not refreezing overnight. Deep and potentially unstable wet snow conditions will exist in many areas by just a couple of hours after sunrise today.

    Conditions are ripe for a wet loose avalanche if you can sink into wet snow near to beyond the top of your boot or if the wet snow is feeling unsupportable while traveling on your equipment. Consider avoiding all travel in or below avalanche terrain when these conditions exist.

Avalanche Discussion

  • Deep, wet, and unsupportable snow has been encountered by 9 to 10 am the past two mornings, especially on N-NE-E aspects.
  • In some locations, meltwater has reached the old facet layer that was buried on Feb 14 and remained weak in very isolated areas on some shaded NW-N-NE aspects. Snowpit data from Thursday indicates that an isolated wet slab avalanche is not outside the realm of possibility at this time.  If a wet slab were to occur, it is expected as a single isolated event.
  • Snowmelt has intensified on all aspects and elevations throughout the forecast region.  Most SE-S-SW aspects have exposed bare ground in many areas limiting over snow travel options on these aspects.

Regions covered