Central Sierra Nevada

Problemi valanghivi

• 

  Loose Wet

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alta quota
  • Limite del bosco
  • Sotto il limite del bosco

  Probabilità

  Possible

  Dimensione

  1–2

  Warmer daytime temperatures, less wind, and intense March sun should provide enough warming for wet snow to form on sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects today. Lower elevation slopes will experience the most warming but the possibility for wet snow instabilities could also extend into some upper elevation areas today. Wet loose avalanches will be possible today. They could entrain enough of the recent snow to cause problems for people especially on long steep slopes or in terrain with terrain traps like cliffs, trees, rocks, etc. 

  Rollerballs, pinwheels, and wet sticky snow all indicate rapid warming in the snowpack. As soon as you see signs of wet snow forming, it is a good time to move to more shaded aspects where the snow remains cold and dry or into lower-angle terrain. 

• 

  Wind Slabs

  N

  NE

  E

  SE

  S

  SW

  W

  NW

  • Alta quota
  • Limite del bosco
  • Sotto il limite del bosco

  Probabilità

  Unlikely

  Dimensione

  1–2

  For the most part, the wind slabs formed by the NE winds have remained small and do not extend very far away from the ridges. Less wind will mean less blowing snow today. Triggering a large wind slab avalanche should remain unlikely in most places but it may not be impossible on some isolated slope where the NE wind-loading is most efficient.

  Look for signs like blowing snow, cornices above a slope, pillows of wind drifted snow, ripples on the snow surface, and other wind created textures to identify where wind slabs may exist and evaluate those areas before committing to a slope.