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Out of date — this forecast expired 11 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

LOW avalanche danger continues for all elevations and aspects. Small isolated pockets of unstable snow may exist. Normal caution is advised. It is still early season with generally shallow snow coverage and numerous poorly covered obstacles to hit.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    Overall good snowpack stability has been observed around the forecast area. Any instability issues are most likely to be associated with lower density snow that lingers at the base of the snowpack near treeline and below treeline on NW-N-NE aspects. In areas where this snow has been observed at its weakest over the past few days it has been on slopes that are well anchored. There is lots of micro terrain within the forecast area so the possibility of finding that one spot where all of the factors of weak snow, poor anchoring, and sufficiently steep terrain all coexist remains within the realm of possibility. Stack the odds in the favor of best possible outcomes by using normal caution. Expose only one person at a time when in or below avalanche terrain, don't rely on marginal quality islands of safety, and avoid grouping up in avalanche runout zones.

    Minimal amounts of new snow today over the northern portion of the forecast area is not expected to create new avalanche problems.

Avalanche Discussion

Overall the snowpack has shown indications of increasing stability over the past few days in observations and recent snowpit data gathered from the Carson Pass, West Shore Tahoe, Pole Creek, and Mount Rose areas. Warming before the last storm helped to settle and increase bonding within the deeper snow layers. Post storm the recent new snow has appeared to bond well to the old snow layers. Isolated areas where the snowpack structure remains concerning with a lower density layer at the base of the snowpack near treeline and below treeline on NW-N-NE aspects are generally well anchored. In the vast majority of areas this lower density layer that was once well developed facets is now fairly well rounded. In isolated pockets, this lower density layer has retained some loose grained, faceted characteristics.

Regions covered