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 high pressure ridge should cause temperatures to remain 5-10 degrees above average over the next 24 hours. Clear skies and east winds should prevail today before a low pressure moving along the US-Canada border brings a few clouds and slightly cooler temperatures to the area tomorrow. As this low pressure pushes a small, dry cold-front into the area, the east winds should diminish and shift more to the west overnight and into tomorrow. The forecast calls for the high pressure to rebuild and persist into next week.

Observations from across the forecast area over the last few days show settlement of the new snow and a strengthening trend in the the snowpack. Layer-bonding tests in the Mt. Rose backcountry, the Carson Pass area, the Donner Pass area, and in the Silver Peak area all show good bonding within layers in the recent snow and between the recent snow and the previous hard snow surfaces. East winds have continued to affect the exposed N-NE-E aspects leaving hard, wind-scoured surface snow on those slopes. Warm temperatures and sunny skies have created breakable melt/freeze and sun crusts on the southerly aspects below 8800'. Several inches of soft, unconsolidated snow still remains on NW-N-NE-E aspects that are protected from the sun and wind. Surface hoar and near-surface facets have formed in some of these shaded, protected areas as well.

Slab avalanche activity will remain unlikely but not impossible today. Even though the forecast calls for temperatures to reach into the mid 40's at all elevations today, cool easterly winds, below freezing temperatures overnight, the weak January sun, and gradual warming since Monday should prevent large wet snow instabilities from forming again today. Any wet snow instabilities that do occur should be limited to pinwheels and small, point-release sluffs on sun exposed southerly aspects steeper than 35 degrees. These warming instabilities should be small and could occur naturally or be triggered by a person on the slope. They could be large enough to knock a person over. Getting knocked off-balance in the wrong place (the top of a cliff for instance) could have dangerous consequences. Be aware of the surroundings. Use caution and safe travel to minimize risks.

The bottom line:

The avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. Use normal caution when travelling in the backcountry.

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	28 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	36-40 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	East northeast
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	40 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	56 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	71 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Friday:	Friday Night:	Saturday:
Weather:	Sunny	Clear	Partly cloudy
Temperatures:	42-49 deg. F.	20-30 deg. F.	40-47 deg. F.
Wind direction:	East shifting to the southwest in the afternoon	Variable	West
Wind speed:	10-15 mph decreasing in the afternoon	Light	10 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Friday:	Friday Night:	Saturday:
Weather:	Sunny	Clear	Partly cloudy
Temperatures:	42-48 deg. F.	24-32 deg. F.	40-46 deg. F.
Wind direction:	East shifting to the southwest in the afternoon	Southwest shifting to the northwest after midnight	Northwest
Wind speed:	15-25 mph with gusts to 40 mph decreasing to 10-15 mph in the afternoon	10 mph with gusts to 25 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 35 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.