This avalanche advisory is provided through a partnership between the Tahoe National Forest and the Sierra Avalanche Center. This advisory covers the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Pass on the north and Ebbetts Pass on the south. Click here for a map of the forecast area. This advisory applies only to backcountry areas outside established ski area boundaries. This advisory describes general avalanche conditions and local variations always occur. This advisory expires 24 hours after the posted time unless otherwise noted. The information in this advisory is provided by the USDA Forest Service who is solely responsible for its content.

This advisory was posted on March 5, 2008 7:00 AM
Click here for a detailed map of the SAC forecast area

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Today's Advisory:

The avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Some isolated pockets of MODERATE danger could develop below 8000 ft. on the most sun exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects, 37 degrees and steeper in response to daytime warming.

A weak cold front moved across the forecast area last night bringing overnight lows down into the low teens at upper elevations and upper teens at lower elevations. As the front moved east, the winds shifted to the north and east and increased this morning. Lower air temperatures and east winds should continue through tonight. By tomorrow the high pressure ridge should rebuild and start to push temperatures back up a few degrees.

Yesterday, observations from the Mount Rose area, the Poison Canyon area (near Bear Valley), Jake's Peak, and the Munchkins area (east of Alpine Meadows) continue to show a mix of snow surface conditions. On southerly aspects melt/freeze conditions prevail with the top several inches of snow softening during the day. Last night's cold temperatures and clear skies allowed the snow surfaces that melted yesterday to refreeze overnight. On northerly aspects a mix of breakable melt/freeze crusts, wind affected snow, and some unconsolidated snow exists on the surface. Hasty pits and layer bonding tests in these areas showed a well bonded and stable snowpack below the surface layers yesterday.

Cooler daytime temperatures, an east wind, and a strong overnight refreeze should keep the snow surface more frozen today. Wet snow instabilities could still form on the most sun exposed slopes below 8000 ft. as the March sun bakes the snow surface today. This melting could create some very isolated pockets of instability where human triggered avalanche activity is possible. Natural avalanches and human triggered avalanches are unlikely on northerly aspects at all elevations and higher elevation southerly aspects that do not soften much today.

The bottom line: The avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Some isolated pockets of MODERATE danger could develop below 8000 ft. on the most sun exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects, 37 degrees and steeper in response to daytime warming.
Please send us your snow, weather, and avalanche observations by clicking the submit observations link on our contact page.

Thanks to everyone who has donated to the avalanche center this year. We still have not met our fund raising goal for the year, and we need your help to get there. Anyone who donates $100 or more will be entered into a drawing for a BCA backpack, Tracker avalanche beacon, shovel, and probe package worth over $500. Anyone who donates $25 or more will be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to Porters Ski and Snowboard Shop. Click on the Paypal link at the bottom of the page to donate or here to go to our donations page.

Andy Anderson, Avalanche Forecaster

Today's Central Sierra Weather Observations:
0600 temperature at Sierra Crest (8,700 feet): 17 deg. F
Max. temperature at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 45 deg. F.
Average wind direction at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: West shifting to the northeast
Average wind speed at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 5-10 mph then increasing to 25-30 mph after 4am this morning.
Maximum wind gust at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 52 mph
New snow fall at 8,200 feet past 24 hours: 0 inches
Total snow depth at 8,200 feet: 84 inches
Mountain Weather Forecast For Today:
Sunny and cooler.
Temperature forecast for 8,000 to 9,000 feet: 25 to 35 deg. F
Ridgetop winds forecast for the Sierra Crest: East at 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph.
Snowfall expected in the next 24 hours: 0 inches
2 Day Mountain Weather Forecast:

7000 to 8000 Feet:
Today, sunny skies with daytime highs 32 to 42 deg. F. East winds at 5 to 15 mph.

Tonight, clear skies with overnight lows 18 to 28 deg. F. East winds at 5 to 15 mph.

For Thursday, sunny skies with daytime highs 37 to 47 deg. F. and light winds.

Above 8000 Feet:
Today, sunny skies with daytime highs 25 to 35 deg. F. East winds at 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph.

Tonight, clear skies with overnight lows 24 to 34 deg. F. East winds at 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.

For Thursday, sunny skies with daytime highs 28 to 38 deg. F. Winds out of the east at 10 mph.

The bottom line:

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

Weather Observations from along the Sierra Crest between 8200 ft and 8800 ft:

0600 temperature:	deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	inches

Two-Day Mountain Weather Forecast - Produced in partnership with the Reno NWS

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Wednesday:	Wednesday Night:	Thursday:
Weather:
Temperatures:	deg. F.	deg. F.	deg. F.
Wind direction:
Wind speed:
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Wednesday:	Wednesday Night:	Thursday:
Weather:
Temperatures:	deg. F.	deg. F.	deg. F.
Wind direction:
Wind speed:
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.