State of the Snowpack | Sierra Avalanche Center

The last avalanche forecast for the 2019-2020 season posted on May 3rd. Thank you to everyone who supported the avalanche center this past season with volunteer hours, donations, and/or avalanche, snowpack, and weather observations. These contributions are crucial to avalanche center operations.

State of the Snowpack for 4/25/2020 - 5/1/2020

Submitted by steve on Fri, 05/01/2020 - 13:26

Dates of the Week:

4/25/2020 to 5/1/2020

Avalanche Problems:

Loose wet - Reported avalanches (numerous human-triggered and natural avalanches throughout the week-mainly D1, with some D2 in size)
Cornice fall - Reported avalanches (numerous natural cornice collapses throughout the week-D1 to D2 in size)

General Snowpack Structure:

Spring melt freeze conditions on all aspects and elevations
Sun cups make up the snow surface on most aspects
Improved snowpack drainage has reduced some wet snow instabilities
Rapid snowmelt this week with many obstacles showing and trailheads melting out

Weather Events:

Ongoing high pressure with well above average temperatures
Above freezing overnight temperatures with some thin cloud cover
Increasing SW/W winds towards the end of the week

Extreme Sponsors:

Homewood

Diamond Peak

CA OHMVR

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe

Heavenly Mountain Resort

Kirkwood Mountain Resort

This website is owned and maintained by the non-profit arm of the Sierra Avalanche Center. Some of the content is updated by the USDA avalanche forecasters including the forecasts and some observational data. The USDA is not responsible for any advertising, fund-raising events/information, or sponsorship information, or other content not related to the forecasts and the data pertaining to the forecasts.