Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger should remain LOW for all aspects and elevations today. Some small isolated loose wet snow instabilities may form due to daytime warming. In areas where the snowpack did not experience any overnight refreeze more loose wet snow instabilities may form. Southerly sun-exposed aspects hold the best possibility for these isolated wet snow instabilities.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Above freezing temperatures and some rain during the last 36 hours have created a layer of unconsolidated wet snow at the top of the snowpack on all aspects up to at least 9500 ft. This layer likely started to refreeze last night as heat from the snowpack escaped into the mostly clear night sky (radiational cooling) even though temperatures remained above freezing. Below the thin refrozen crust that may have formed last night, a layer of wet snow will remain. Since the sun is at its weakest and lowest and a strong north and east wind is expected today, daytime warming may not have the strength to melt through the thin refreeze. However, if today's warm temperatures and sunny skies today do melt last night's refreeze some small isolated human triggered loose wet avalanche activity like roller balls and pinwheels may become possible in isolated areas or extreme terrain especially on aspects facing the southern half of the compass.

Avalanche Discussion

Yesterday, observers reported debris on N-NE-E aspects of Red Lake Peak that likely resulted from some large loose wet avalanches and smaller wind slab avalanches that occurred Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Another small avalanche occurred near Blue Lakes on an E aspect during that time frame due to the rapid warming.

During the day yesterday, observations from Red Lake Peak, Blue Lakes, Silver Peak, Andesite Ridge, and Tamarack Peak all revealed wet, heavy snow on all aspects up to 9500 ft. by midday. Before that time some frozen crusts existed above 9000 ft. on Red Lake Peak and Tamarack Peak. Drainage runnels existed on all aspects up to 9200 ft in these areas. Some small inconsequential human-triggered roller balls and pinwheels did occur in the Andesite Ridge, Tamarack Peak, and Silver Peak, areas on a few steep N-NE-E aspects. Snowpit data, ski and snowmobile cuts, and other observations did not reveal additional signs of instabilities in these areas yesterday.

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