Avalanche forecast

Central Sierra Nevada

Sierra Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Snow will get wet today due to sun and warm weather despite thin high clouds. Wet snow could flow downhill and gather enough snow as it slides to cause problems for people. When you notice wet snow, it is time to move to slopes not steep enough for snow to slide downhill.

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–2

    Mostly sunny skies and near-record high temperatures will provide enough warming for wet loose avalanche activity to become possible as the day warms up. Thin high clouds may slow down the melting in some places, but they could also help spread warmth onto more shaded slopes. Widespread areas of wet snow will form on sunny E-SE-S-SW-W aspects where the most intense warming will occur. High sun angles and the greenhouse effect of thin cloud cover could allow some wet snow to form on NW-N-NE aspects. Avalanches of wet loose snow could entrain enough snow to bury or injure a person, especially on steep, open, sunny slopes. These avalanches gather more snow as they move downhill, so long steep slopes will produce larger wet loose avalanches. 

    Look for signs of wet snow as you travel. When you start to see rollerballs, pinwheels, or sticky wet snow, it is time to avoid steep slopes and move into lower-angle terrain.

Avalanche Discussion

  • Observers have reported roller balls, pinwheels, and wet sticky snow across the forecast area. The largest wet snow instabilities occurred on sunny SE-S-SW facing slopes, but some smaller ones also occurred on NE and NW aspects. 
  • Cold snow still existed on some shady due N facing slopes yesterday.
  • Weak snow (facets) formed in the upper portion of the snowpack during the 38 day Jan/Feb dry spell on some wind-sheltered NW-N-NE aspects. It now exists under 6 to 12 inches of settled snow that fell during the recent storm. No avalanches have been reported on this weak layer, and most data indicates that it does not have enough load on top of it to cause avalanche problems currently.
  • Snowmelt on SE-S-SW aspects has allowed more obstacles (rocks, bushes, etc) and areas of bare ground to re-emerge.

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