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 April 16, 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.

Temperatures should start to warm up again today as a high pressure ridge builds over the forecast area. The winds should shift to the north and east and limit some of the warming that occurs today. As these winds calm and shift to the southwest over the next few days, temperatures will continue to climb.

High temperatures only reached the low 30's above 8000' and the upper 30's between 6500' and 8000' yesterday. Cloudy skies and some isolated snow showers in the morning left a dusting of new snow on top of the refrozen crust. In the the Mount Rose area near Tamarack Peak most aspects remained frozen all day with only the top 1 inch of snow on the south and southwest aspects softening in the late afternoon due to solar radiation. Below this crust there was still a layer of moist snow that had not completely refrozen. The clear skies and cold temperatures overnight should have allowed the refreeze to penetrate deeper into the snowpack and should cause the snowpack to gain strength.

Today, sunshine and warmer air temperatures should cause the top few inches of surface snow to soften and melt on SE-S-SW-W aspects by early afternoon. This melting will introduce some free water into the snowpack. However, the solid refreeze over the last 36 hours, well established drainage channels that prevent the water from pooling at a specific layer, and northerly winds should all prevent dangerous wet snow instabilities from forming. Natural and human triggered avalanches are 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): 17 deg. F
Max. temperature at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 30 to 33 deg. F.
Average wind direction at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: Northeast
Average wind speed at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 25 mph
Maximum wind gust at Sierra Crest past 24 hours: 48 mph
New snowfall at 8,200 feet past 24 hours: 0 to trace inches
Total snow depth at 8,200 feet: 68 inches
Mountain Weather Forecast For Today:
Sunny and breezy.
Temperature forecast for 8,000 to 9,000 feet: 35 to 42 deg. F
Ridgetop winds forecast for the Sierra Crest: North at 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35.
Snowfall expected in the next 24 hours: 0 inches
2 Day Mountain Weather Forecast:

7000 to 8000 Feet:

Today, sunny skies with daytime highs 42 to 49 deg. F. Northwest winds at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight, clear skies with overnight lows 25 to 31 deg. F. East winds at 10 mph.

For Thursday, sunny skies with daytime highs 47 to 54 deg. F. Light winds shifting to the southwest at 10 mph.

Above 8000 Feet:

Today, sunny skies with daytime highs 35 to 42 deg. F. North winds at 10 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph.

Tonight, clear skies with overnight lows 25 to 30 deg. F. East winds at 10 to 20 mph.

For Thursday, sunny skies with daytime highs 47 to 53 deg. F. Light winds shifting to the southwest 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.