Central Sierra Nevada

Strong E winds could keep many places up high firm and icy today. Some soft wet snow may form on sunny low and mid-elevation slopes as the day warms up. Avalanches are unlikely.

Normal caution

Sunny skies and warm temperatures will melt the surface snow, while increased E/NE winds will help keep it cool. As the day warms up, a shallow layer of soft wet snow could form on sunny mid and lower elevation SE-S-SW aspects sheltered from the winds. Wind-exposed upper elevations slopes may remain firm and icy all day due to the increased E winds. Today's warming should not create enough wet snow for significant wet-snow instabilities.

Get to know your partner's skills and goals before venturing into the backcountry. Open communication can help create a plan that focuses on conditions and terrain more likely to be fun and safe for your group. This dry spell provides a great opportunity to solidify travel habits like only putting one person on a slope at a time and keeping your partners in view. It is also a good time to practice rescue scenarios that use the rescue gear you carry every day.

Recent Observations:

• Snowmelt has sped up over the last two weeks exposing more areas of bare ground on southerly aspects.
• Highly variable snow surface conditions exist across the forecast area. Expect to encounter firm ice, rough wind-sculpted snow, firm wind-packed snow, shallow soft snow, breakable crusts, and melt-freeze snow.
• A well-bonded and consolidated snowpack exists across nearly all aspects and elevations. Gradual near-surface faceting has created weak snow in the top portion of the snowpack on many wind-protected NW-N-NE aspects. A new snow load is needed on top of this developing weak layer before slab avalanche problems occur.