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 over the forecast area should cause temperatures to climb into the mid to high 40's at all elevations above 7000' today and tomorrow. The wind should remain light out of the west before shifting to the southwest and increasing ahead of an approaching cold front tomorrow. Some clouds should build over the forecast area this afternoon.

Yesterday observations on Hidden Peak, Jake's Peak (both on the West Shore near Emerald Bay), and Castle Peak (near Donner Summit) all showed significant consolidation and several inches of settlement within the recent snow. On Hidden Peak below 8200' only 3-6 inches of new snow remains on top of the old melt/freeze crust. Above 8200' 5-10 inches of storm snow existed on top of the old crusts. On Castle Peak similar conditions existed. In both of these areas above 7500' on the northerly slopes steeper than 38 degrees, several skier triggered sluffs occurred involving all of the new snow above the old melt/freeze crusts. Some of these sluffs ran between 100' and 200'. The southerly aspects on Jake's Peak and on Castle Peak had much less new snow with only 3-4 inches on top of the old crust at the deepest spots. Some roller balls and pinwheels occurred on the southerly aspects near Emerald Bay below 8000'. A sun crust formed on all aspects yesterday up to 8500' in any sun-exposed areas.

Today, wet snow instabilities dues to daytime warming will continue to comprise the main avalanche concern. More sun and temperatures 5-10 degrees above yesterday's highs should melt bonds and create free water in the snowpack. The free water and the melting bonds could cause the new snow to lose enough strength that human triggering of wet avalanches, pinwheels, and point-release avalanches could occur. The most likely places for this type of avalanche activity are steep, sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW-W aspects.

A second smaller avalanche concern will be sluffing on northerly aspects. Skier triggered sluffs similar to ones observed yesterday should be possible again today. These sluffs should remain small and manageable. They should not involve enough snow to bury someone. However, they could still knock a person off balance. Being knocked off balance in the wrong spot (i.e. at the top of a cliff) could have severe consequences.

The bottom line:

This morning the avalanche danger is LOW. Areas of MODERATE avalanche danger should quickly develop due to daytime warming on E-SE-S-SW-W aspects 37 degrees and steeper at all elevations today.

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	27 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	34 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	West shifting to the northeast then back to the west
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	13 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	36 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	141 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Sunday:	Sunday Night:	Monday:
Weather:	Partly cloudy	Mostly cloudy	Mostly cloudy
Temperatures:	45-52 deg. F.	26-33 deg. F.	48-54 deg. F.
Wind direction:	West	West shifting to the southwest	Southwest
Wind speed:	10 mph	10-15 mph	10 mph increasing to 15-25 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:	Partly cloudy	Mostly cloudy	Mostly cloudy
Temperatures:	43-49 deg. F.	24-31 deg. F.	41-47 deg. F.
Wind direction:	West	West	Southwest
Wind speed:	10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 30 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 35 mph increasing to 25-35 mph with gusts to 60 mph in the afternoon
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.