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.

This advisory was posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 at 6:20 pm

The most recent storm left us with a nice layer of very light, very cold snow. Coupling the supportable crust on northeasterly slopes above 9000' and the wind loading from the storm's south west winds, a few lucky people got out yesterday and made some turns before the winds shifted to the north and east late yesterday evening.

The new snow stayed cold and did not bond to the crusts on the northeast slopes. Due to the wind shift, the wind is now moving much of that nice powder onto the south and west facing slopes and leaving a breakable wind crust on the northeast facing slopes. On all aspects and at all elevations the snowpack is still shallow. With the combination of a shallow snowpack and the cold weather our snow is starting to develop facetted layers. These weaknesses will be potential failure layers as we start to get more snow.

The shallow snowpack poses other threats as well. It will hide stumps, rocks, creeks (brrrr), downed trees, and all sorts of other things for you to hit with your snowmobile, skis, snowboard, or in the worst case some part of your body. If you do get out be careful and please let us know what you see.

Andy Anderson, Avalanche Forecaster

The bottom line:

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Wednesday:	Wednesday Night:	Thursday:
Weather:
Temperatures:	deg. F.	deg. F.	deg. F.
Wind direction:
Wind speed:
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Wednesday:	Wednesday Night:	Thursday:
Weather:
Temperatures:	deg. F.	deg. F.	deg. F.
Wind direction:
Wind speed:
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.