Central Sierra Nevada
Avalanche danger
Highlights
Another warm day today will allow for widespread surface wet snow formation on sun exposed slopes. Isolated small sluffs of surface wet snow triggered by backcountry travelers may occur on steeper sun exposed slopes. Larger more problematic avalanches remain unlikely.
Avalanche Discussion
Much like yesterday, air temperatures are above freezing at many locations above the mountain valley floors this morning courtesy of inversion conditions. A solid snow surface refreeze is expected to have occurred last night under mostly clear skies via radiational cooling. This refreeze will have occurred despite continuous above freezing air temperatures at many locations for the past 24 hours. The combination of sunshine and warm air today will allow for a few inches of surface wet snow formation across the ESE-SE-S-SW-WSW aspects. Snow surface wetting may also occur on lower angle northerly aspects that receive indirect sun exposure. Triggering small and isolated wet loose sluffs is a possibility today in steeper terrain.
While larger more problematic avalanches remain unlikely, pay attention to downslope terrain hazards such as cliffs, rocks, creek beds, etc that you don't want to get steered over or into by an otherwise small and inconsequential wet loose sluff. Once more than a couple of inches of surface wet snow is present, move towards lower angle terrain or terrain without the downslope hazards.
Recent Observations:
- Snowmelt has sped up over the last two weeks exposing more rock and areas of bare ground on SE-S-SW aspects.
- Highly variable snow surface conditions exist across the forecast area. Expect to encounter anything from firm ice to soft snow, cold snow to wet snow, and smooth to very rough snow surfaces.
- A well-bonded and consolidated snowpack exists across nearly all aspects and elevations. Gradual near-surface faceting has created weak snow in the top portion of the snowpack on many wind-protected and semi-wind protected NW-N-NE aspects. A new snow load is needed on top of this developing weak layer before slab avalanche problems occur.