Central Sierra Nevada

Starting an avalanche remains unlikely today. Use good backcountry travel habits and pay attention to the snow and weather conditions. Be willing to change plans if you see something different than expected.

The avalanche danger will increase tomorrow as winter storms return to the region.

Normal caution

A wide variety of snow surfaces exist around the forecast area. Daytime warming will soften some of the melt-freeze crusts on sunny slopes today. Expect a few inches of soft wet snow to develop on the sun-exposed SE-S-SW aspects. Light winds, several days of gradual warming, and cold nights should keep deep, wet snow from forming, and wet snow instabilities should remain minimal. Places on E and W aspects as well as some NW, N, and NE aspects that don't get as much direct sun, could have firm snow or breakable crusts on the snow surface. A few areas of soft snow still exist on shady, northerly-facing aspects sheltered from the winds near and below treeline. Most open slopes near and above treeline hold variable wind-affected snow.  

Even though the avalanche danger is LOW today, keep using plans and practices that reinforce good backcountry travel habits. 

Recent Observations:

• Yesterday, a thin layer of soft wet snow formed on sunny SSE-S-SSW aspects by midday. Other slopes remained mostly firm.
• Wind-exposed slopes have a mix of firm wind-pressed snow, wind-carved snow, wind-scoured snow, and areas of wind-deposited snow.
• Older, potentially weak layers still exist in some areas about one to two feet below the snow surface. Observations indicate improved bonding and decreasing reactivity on these layers. It has also been difficult to find these layers in avalanche terrain.
• The last reported avalanche occurred on Thursday, and it was a small D1 (relatively harmless to people) wind slab.