Central Sierra Nevada

Strong winds, cooler weather, and clouds should keep the snow frozen longer today. Still, enough warming may occur for a small avalanche of wet snow to become possible in an isolated spot this afternoon. If you break through the crust and sink into deep wet snow, it's time to move to colder slopes or terrain not steep enough to avalanche.

Normal caution

The snow should experience less warming today due to lingering clouds, increased winds, and slightly cooler daytime highs. Additionally, the snowpack has been through several melt-freeze cycles that make it easier for water to drain through the snow. These factors should limit the formation of deep wet snow and the possibility of wet loose avalanches in most places today despite a weaker overnight refreeze. Some areas especially those near rocks, in gullies, or around creeks may still experience enough warming to melt through last night's thin refreeze. If this happens, an isolated avalanche of wet loose snow may become possible.

Even though today should remain cooler, keep tabs on how much wet snow forms during the day. If you start sinking through the surface crust into wet snow, it's time to move to lower-angle terrain or places where the snow remains more frozen. Rollerballs, pinwheels, and recent wet loose avalanches also indicate unstable wet snow. 

Recent Observations

• Snow continues to melt on all aspects and at elevations around the forecast areas. Many NW-N-NE-E aspects still have decent coverage. Large areas of bare ground on SE-S-SW aspects have made traveling on snow more challenging on those aspects.
• Open creeks, areas of open water, and areas with thin snow on top of running water are becoming more prevalent.