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Out of date — this forecast expired 12 years ago.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 at all elevations and on all aspects today. Many of the northerly aspects should remain firm and frozen while other sun-exposed aspects should experience some minor surface softening. Continue to use normal caution when traveling in the backcountry.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Cooler temperatures and clear skies last night should have allowed the snowpack to undergo a decent overnight refreeze. Northerly winds and slightly cooler daytime highs should help to slow down the melting that occurs today. Despite the cooler, breezier weather, the sunshine and daytime highs in the 40's should provide enough warmth for some soft surface snow to form the sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects today. Due to the limited daytime warming, the February sun angles, and the fact that the snowpack has already experienced numerous melt-freeze cycles wet snow should remain limited to the top few inches of the snowpack. Significant wet snow instabilities should not form today. Shaded northerly aspects should remain frozen today.

Avalanche Discussion

On the west side of Red Lake Peak yesterday, only patches of snow cover remained on the SE-S-SW aspects. Large areas of typically snow covered slopes now have exposed ground. In the areas on the SE-S-SW aspects where snow did remain, 2-3 inches of soft corn snow existed on a well-consolidated and supportable snowpack. On northerly aspects more consistent snow cover exists with frozen firm crusts on the surface. Ski cuts, observations, and snowpit data did not reveal any signs of significant wet snow instabilities or other instabilities on any aspects.

Regions covered