Central Sierra Nevada

Avalanche problems

• 

  Loose Wet

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alpine
  • Treeline
  • Below treeline

  Likelihood

  Possible

  Size

  1–1.5

  Travel plans built around timing and terrain can help reduce exposure to possible unstable wet snow. You can time your on-snow activities to finish before daytime warming makes the snow wet and unsupportable, or you can focus on using non-avalanche terrain after the wet snow gets deeper and becomes less supportable. Monitor the snow as it changes from firm and frozen in the morning to soft and wet as the day warms up, and adjust your plans accordingly. Small wet snow sluffs and sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow can indicate that larger, wet, loose avalanches may soon occur. 

  Above-freezing temperatures in many places last night meant that the snowpack had to rely more on radiational cooling to refreeze. This kind of refreeze is not as strong or thick as one driven by cold temperatures. Slightly cooler daytime highs, some NE winds, and the fact that good drainage channels exist in the snowpack should all help whatever overnight refreeze that did occur last longer today. Still, warm temperatures and strong March sun may create deep, wet snow in some places. The most wet snow will form on the sunniest slopes, and avalanches of wet loose snow might become possible as the day warms up. Most wet loose avalanches should remain small, but a few could be large, especially on long, steep slopes, where they could entrain more snow as they slide downhill.