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.

Last night air temperatures stayed above freezing due to a high pressure system over the forecast area. This high pressure will cause sunny skies and warm temperatures to continue today. Northwest winds associated with this system should continue before shifting to the west ahead of a small low pressure forecasted to move through the area tomorrow. This low should bring cooler temperatures and a chance for up to 2 inches of snow at the higher elevations tomorrow afternoon.

Observations from Mt. Tallac and the Mt. Rose area yesterday showed a mostly stable snowpack. Bonds within and between layers in the snowpack continue to gain strength. A mix of sun crusts on southerly aspects, wind crusts on northerly aspects, and some unconsolidated snow on protected northerly aspects exists on the the snow surface. By yesterday afternoon 2-3 inches of wet surface snow formed on sun exposed areas across all aspects up to 8500'. Clear skies overnight should have allowed this wet surface snow to refreeze.

As sun and warmth melt the snow surface today, free water will dissolve the bonds within the upper snowpack. This melting process could weaken the snowpack enough for human triggerable wet snow instabilities to form on steep sun exposed SE-S-SW-W aspects. Most of these instabilities should be in the form of point release avalanches and surface instabilities like pinwheels. Areas around rocks, trees and other exposed objects will be the most susceptible to these instabilities. In these areas some small pinwheels and wet snow sluffs could occur naturally. Last night's refreeze, moderate north winds, and the weak January sun should prevent wet snow instabilities from becoming large or widespread and should keep significant natural avalanche activity unlikely today.

The bottom line:

This morning the avalanche danger is LOW for all aspects and elevations. Pockets of MODERATE danger could develop on sun exposed SE-S-SW-W aspects steeper than 35 degrees by this afternoon.

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	40 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	42 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	Northeast to northwest
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	15-20 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	49 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	63 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Wednesday:	Wednesday Night:	Thursday:
Weather:	Sunny	Clear	Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow in the afternoon
Temperatures:	44-51 deg. F.	33-38 deg. F.	30-35 deg. F.
Wind direction:	Northwest	Southwest	Southwest shifting to the west
Wind speed:	10 mph	10-20 mph	15-30 mph with gusts to 45 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	up to 1 in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Wednesday:	Wednesday Night:	Thursday:
Weather:	Sunny	Clear	Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow in the afternoon
Temperatures:	40-46 deg. F.	30-35 deg. F.	30-39 dropping to 20-25 deg. F.
Wind direction:	Northwest	West	West
Wind speed:	10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph	10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph increasing to 15-25 mph with gusts to 50 mph after midnight	30-45 mph with gusts to 70 mph. Ridgetop gusts to 95 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	up to 2 in.