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.

The large scale weather pattern over the region is beginning to change as high pressure continues to slowly shift to the east. Air temperatures are now on a day to day cooling trend. Ridgetop winds will remain out of the southwest to west today. Winds speeds will increase tomorrow out of the southwest after a brief period of light north winds tonight. Sunny skies today will give way to building high level cloud cover tomorrow. A chance of snowfall returns to the forecast area for Monday night through Wednesday.

Recent Observations:

Observations made yesterday on Jake's Peak (West Shore Tahoe area) revealed warming air temperatures and wet snow forming in the usual places on sun exposed SE-S-SW aspects. Up to 1 inch of wet surface snow was also noted below 7,800' on NE-E aspects and very low angle N aspects. Some very small and inconsequential skier triggered loose wet snow avalanches were noted yesterday afternoon at 7,400' on a NE aspect with 39 degree slope angle. This involved only the top 1 inch of the snowpack and was an indication of a changing snowpack rather than any significant or otherwise hazardous form of instability (photo, more info). This wet snow from yesterday on N-NE-E aspects is likely to have transitioned to breakable melt-freeze crust last night.

Snowpit data collected at 9,000' on a N aspect in near treeline terrain matched well with other recent observations from around the forecast area indicating a stable snowpack. Faceted snow layers are widespread on northerly aspects within the top 1 foot of the snowpack. For the most part these weak layers are in decent condition to handle new snow loading (pit profile, video, more info). With a few isolated exceptions of shallow snowpack areas in the Carson Range, propagation tests targeting these faceted weak layers have pointed to propagation as unlikely in the event of weak layer collapse under future snow loading conditions (pit profile, more info).

Avalanche Concerns:

Natural and human triggered avalanche activity remains unlikely today. Up to a few inches of wet snow will once again form today, mainly on SE-S-SW aspects. Minor amounts of wet surface snow may form on other aspects as well. Any amount of roller ball instability or loose wet snow avalanche activity that occurs today is expected to be very small and not present a hazard to backcountry travelers.

The bottom line:

Avalanche danger remains LOW for all elevations and aspects. Continue to use normal caution while traveling in the backcountry.

Brandon Schwartz - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	22 to 32 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	40 to 46 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	Southwest
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	21 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	34 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	53 to 78 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Sunday:	Sunday Night:	Monday:
Weather:	Sunny skies.	Clear skies.	High level cloud cover creating mostly cloudy skies.
Temperatures:	36 to 44 deg. F.	20 to 28 deg. F.	35 to 41 deg. F.
Wind direction:	SW	Variable	SW
Wind speed:	10 to 15 mph. Gusts to 25 mph in the morning.	Light winds.	Light winds increasing to 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph in the afternoon.
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Sunday:	Sunday Night:	Monday:
Weather:	Sunny skies.	Clear skies.	High level cloud cover creating mostly cloudy skies.
Temperatures:	32 to 38 deg. F.	23 to 30 deg. F.	30 to 37 deg. F.
Wind direction:	W	N shifting to S after midnight.	SW
Wind speed:	15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph.	10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph.	15 to 20 mph with gusts to 35 mph, increasing to 30 to 35 mph with gusts to 55 mph in the afternoon.
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.