Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago.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

Highlights

Warm weather and strong sun will create wet snow that could slide down slopes today. The change from semi-frozen snow to wet mush will happen quickly. Once the snow becomes unsupportable or wet snow gets more than a few inches deep, it’s time to move away from slopes steep enough to produce avalanches.

 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    Clear skies overnight allowed the snowpack to radiate enough heat out into the night sky for some of yesterday's wet snow to refreeze despite temperatures remaining above freezing. In tree-covered areas, the snow may not have refrozen. Today's strong sun and warm weather will quickly melt through the thin refreeze. With more warming expected today than on previous days, more wet snow will form. Deep unsupportable wet snow could exist in several places once the refreeze melts. When the wet snow gets more than a few inches deep, avalanches of wet loose snow will be possible. 

    Conditions will change quickly today. Frozen supportable surfaces could become unsupportable areas of deep wet snow faster than you expect. Keep track of how much wet snow exists as you travel, once the snow starts to feel wet or unsupportable,  it's time to head for lower angle slopes that are not below avalanche terrain. 

Avalanche Discussion

  • Snowmelt continues on all aspects around the forecast area, especially below 7,000 ft to 7,500 ft. Many NW-N-NE-E aspects still have decent snow coverage. Large areas of bare ground or very limited snow cover exist on most SE-S-SW-W aspects.
  • The snowpack has been through several melt-freeze cycles that have established good drainage channels. These drainage channels make it easier for water to drain through the snow.

Regions covered