Central Sierra Nevada

Avalanches will remain unlikely today in most places. Unlikely does not mean impossible, and a few very small, isolated areas of unstable snow might exist where blowing snow has filled in an isolated terrain feature or on a steep, very sunny slope. Make travel plans that focus on terrain and conditions that match your group's goals and skills.  Be willing to change those plans if you find any signs of unstable snow or unexpected conditions.

Normal caution

Expect variable snow conditions in the mountains today. Open discussions about goals and honest assessments of skills can help create travel plans that match terrain and conditions to your group. Triggering an avalanche remains unlikely, but it may not be impossible on some isolated or unusual terrain feature.  Monitor the conditions as you travel. If you see any signs of unstable snow, such as snow surface cracking or larger areas of wet snow, or encounter any other unexpected conditions, adjust your plans accordingly.

Despite the strong east winds over the last 24 hours, new deposits of wind-blown snow should remain shallow and small since very little soft snow existed for them to transport. Problematic wind slabs will remain unlikely. If a small isolated wind slab has formed in complex or extreme terrain where cliffs, rocks, or other terrain traps lurk, it could cause problems like getting knocked off balance near a cliff or pushed into rocks or other hazards. 

Sun and warmth will also create wet surface snow on sunny slopes as the day warms up. Over the last few days, people have seen roller balls, pinwheels, and one or two small sluffs of wet snow on steep, sunny, southerly facing slopes. The gradual warming, cooler temperatures last night, and the low sun angles should keep larger wet loose avalanches unlikely today. 

Observations and data from across the forecast area indicate the snowpack continues to consolidate and strengthen. Surface conditions remain variable across the region. Wind-exposed areas have every kind of wind-affected surface imaginable: sastrugi, wind-scoured surfaces, rippled snow, dense wind-buff, exposed rain crusts, etc. Sun crusts have formed on most sun-exposed slopes. Softer snow still lingers in a few spots on shady, north-facing, wind-protected slopes.

Deep open holes, open creeks, and ponded water persist around the forecast area espcailly below 8,000' in low-lying areas, but some lurk at higher elevations as well.