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 Avalanche Advisory was published on April 10, 2008:


April 10, 2008 at 0:00 am

Forecast Discussion:


This advisory was posted on April 10, 2008 7:00 AM

A map of the SAC forecast area is available on our home page.

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Today's Advisory:

Avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Normal caution is advised.

Winds have shifted to the north and east as the leading edge of a strong high pressure ridge approaches the forecast area. These northerly winds should keep temperatures between 35 and 45 deg. F above 8000 ft. today. As the high pressure establishes itself expect the winds to shift back to the southwest and the temperatures to climb over the next few days.

Observations from across the forecast area continue to show a strong, well bonded snowpack below the surface layers at all elevations and on all aspects. Intense solar radiation has quickly turned the new snow that fell overnight on Tuesday into melt-freeze snow. On southerly aspects, the snowpack is well adjusted to the daily melt-freeze conditions that have occurred over the past 6 weeks. On northerly aspects, snow surface conditions are a mix of frozen melt-freeze crust and wind scoured areas. Some small and isolated pockets of shallow unconsolidated snow linger on north aspects at the upper elevations.

Today, sunny skies and significant solar radiation will cause melting of surface snow in sun exposed areas at all elevations. Wet snow that forms in response to daytime warming should be deeper and more extensive today and could involve the top several inches of the snowpack on southerly aspects. However, the northerly winds, a strong overnight refreeze, and well established drainage channels in the snowpack should prevent significant wet snow instabilities from forming. Natural and human triggered avalanches remain unlikely at this time.

The bottom line: Avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Normal caution is advised.

Andy Anderson, Avalanche Forecaster

Today's Central Sierra Weather Observations:
0600 temperature at Sierra Crest (8,700 feet): 22 deg. F
Max. temperature at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 34 deg. F.
Average wind direction at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: Southwest shifting to northeast
Average wind speed at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 22 mph
Maximum wind gust at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 43 mph
New snowfall at 8,200 feet past 24 hours: 0 inches
Total snow depth at 8,200 feet: 75 inches
Mountain Weather Forecast For Today:
Sunny and warmer.
Temperature forecast for 8,000 to 9,000 feet: 35 to 45 deg. F
Ridgetop winds forecast for the Sierra Crest: North at 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 35 mph decreasing to 25 mph in the afternoon.
Snowfall expected in the next 24 hours: 0 inches
2 Day Mountain Weather Forecast:

7000 to 8000 Feet:

Today, sunny skies with daytime highs 41 to 51 deg. F. North winds at 10 mph.

Tonight, clear skies with overnight lows 29 to 35 deg. F. North winds at 10 mph shifting to the east after midnight.

For Friday, sunny skies with daytime highs 48 to 58 deg. F. East winds at 10 to 15 mph.

Above 8000 Feet:

Today, sunny skies with daytime highs 35 to 45 deg. F. North winds at 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 35 mph decreasing to 25 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight, clear skies with overnight lows 29 to 35 deg. F. North winds at 10 to 15 mph shifting to the northeast after midnight.

For Friday, sunny skies with daytime highs 40 to 50 deg. F. East winds at 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 35 mph decreasing to 25 mph in the afternoon.


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:

  Thursday: Thursday Night: Friday:
Weather:
Temperatures: deg. F. deg. F. deg. F.
Wind direction:
Wind speed:
Expected snowfall: O in. O in. O in.

For 8000-9000 ft:

  Thursday: Thursday Night: Friday:
Weather:
Temperatures: deg. F. deg. F. deg. F.
Wind direction:
Wind speed:
Expected snowfall: O in. O in. O in.