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Out of date — this forecast expired 11 years ago.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

Avalanche danger remains LOW for all elevations and aspects. Triggering is unlikely but certainly not impossible given the current snowpack layering. Per the definition of LOW danger from the North American avalanche danger scale, small avalanches may still occur in isolated areas or extreme terrain during LOW danger. Use caution and watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features when traveling in the backcountry. Shallow snow cover over rocks, stumps,and logs remains a significant hazard.

Avalanche problems

  • Cornices

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1

    No specific widespread avalanche problems exist at this time. Isolated pockets of difficult to trigger old hard wind slab exist on top of weaker softer snow on northerly aspects in near and above treeline areas. Colder shaded areas in complex terrain including within gullies and couloirs and around rock outcrops and cliffs warrant slope specific stability evaluation before committing. Any areas of instability that exist today will be very isolated and will likely take backcountry travelers by surprise if quality slope specific stability evaluation was not performed beforehand.

Avalanche Discussion

Recent observations from around the forecast area point towards a trend of increasing snowpack stability. Wind scouring and melt following the last storm have taken a toll on snowcover. Highly variable conditions exist ranging from large areas of bare ground, to shallow wet melt-freeze snow cover, to breakable crust, to small pockets of old hard wind slab, to pockets of cold unconsolidated near surface facets. In many areas the snowpack is less than 1 foot deep and rarely exceeds 2 feet deep on wind protected northerly aspects.

Old basal and buried near surface facets have shown a general trend of increasing strength. In many areas these facets have become warm and moist. In isolated areas at the upper elevations on northerly aspects, these facets remain dry and colder.

Regions covered