Central Sierra Nevada

Strong refreezes, wind, and several cycles of melt-freeze transitions should keep larger wet snow instabilities unlikely today despite daytime warming. The avalanche danger will remain LOW at all elevations. Icy surfaces and variable snow conditions present additional hazards today including long sliding falls and challenging travel conditions. Travel using normal caution and be willing to step back into safer terrain if conditions warrant.

Normal caution

Despite today's sunny, warm weather, wet snow instabilities should remain limited due to a variety of factors including strong refreezes, several previous melt-freeze transitions, and increased winds. Enough warming should occur for some shallow, soft, wet snow to form on sun-exposed slopes. Small loose wet instabilities like roller balls or pinwheels may form on some slopes especially near things that heat up faster like rocks or trees, but larger loose wet avalanches are unlikely today.

In many areas, variable snow conditions will exist including firm icy surfaces, uneven wind scoured surfaces, and pockets of "dust on crust" or soft cold snow. These variable conditions can make backcountry travel challenging in some areas and add concerns like the potential for long sliding falls in areas with firm icy surfaces.

Travel plans that focus on timing and terrain can help find decent conditions today. Giving the sun a chance to soften the firm surfaces into corn conditions represents one strategy for finding softer snow. Seeking out sheltered N facing slopes where cold snow may linger represents another. Expect to encounter those variable conditions mentioned above getting to and from wherever you go. Monitoring the snow conditions and talking about them with your group can help avoid ending up in an area where conditions exceed your group's abilities or comfort levels.

Recent Observations:

* Observers have reported widespread exposed icy rain crusts and firm wind-scoured snow surfaces in near and above treeline areas.

* Pockets of shallow, cold, unconsolidated snow still exist on some shaded, below treeline, N-facing, wind-protected slopes steep enough to avoid any direct sun. Along the Sierra Crest, "dust on crust" conditions exist since this shallow soft snow exists on top of a firm rain crust. In the Mt. Rose area where the rain crust does not exist, these pockets of soft snow rest on top of more dense snow.

* A melt-freeze crust has formed on any slopes that have received sun including low angle N aspects. On the southerly aspects, daytime warming has been softening the frozen melt-freeze snow into corn snow (shallow, soft, wet snow on a supportable base) by mid-morning. On the other aspects, the crusts range from firm and supportable to thin and breakable.