Avalanche forecast

Eastside Region

Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

New snow and wind are building sensitive drifts and loading buried persistent weak layers. You can trigger slabs over a foot thick in leeward start zones. Scarier, avalanches could break mid-slope on old snow involving the entire depth of the snowpack. Large natural avalanches are possible. Step back from steep terrain and avoid areas with exposure to overhead hazards.

Avalanche problems

  • Persistent Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    New loading could re-awaken weak layers of sugary snow buried 1 to 4 feet below the surface. Persistent slab avalanches can be triggered from low-angle terrain below or adjacent to avalanche starting zones. You may not see trigger points like shallowly buried rocks until the snowpack collapses around you, sending shooting cracks across the slope. If triggered, the resulting avalanche could break with little warning, involving the full depth of the snowpack. Choose travel routes with lower slope angles and without exposure to overhead hazards.

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Strong winds are blowing new snow onto leeward slopes. You’ll likely find slabs getting larger and more sensitive throughout the day.  Avoid fresh drifts on the leeward sides of ridgelines and the sidewalls of cross-loaded gullies. Watch for blowing snow and growing cornices. Shooting cracks and the sound of the snowpack collapsing under your weight are warning signs that wind slabs are unstable in your area. Keep in mind that even a relatively small wind slab avalanche breaking in the upper snowpack may be enough to step down to persistent weak layers, creating a larger avalanche.

    (1/16/2024)

    Natural activity likely occurred overnight on 1/16/24

    Photo: Steve Mace

Avalanche Discussion

Snowfall began overnight with increasing southwest wind. Stormy weather continues with wind and snow waxing and waning over the next few days. The round that began last night looks similar to the storm we got on the 16th. During that storm, multiple natural wind slabs and persistent slab avalanches released on north and east aspects near and above treeline.

Wind slab avalanches can break today at the new/old interface where drifts form over crusts and soft, settled snow. A layer of small to medium-grained facets is buried 1 to 3 feet below the surface. Though these grains have been gaining strength during the recent warm weather, new loading may be enough to re-activate them. The biggest layer of concern consists of advanced facets and depth hoar buried near the ground down 2 to 4 feet. This layer has been responsible for continued reports of collapsing in the snowpack. Recent snow pit tests have confirmed that it can propagate a failure mid-slope, even on westerly aspects. Variation in snow depth near and above the treeline has led to larger slabs with weaknesses at their margins and around trigger points in shallower areas. New loading will likely expand the distribution of places where you can trigger large, dangerous avalanches.

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