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.

A small, high-pressure ridge remains over the forecast area and should keep skies clear and temperatures warm today. The winds should start to increase and shift to the southwest and west over the next 24 hours as a low-pressure system moves into the Pacific Northwest. This system should bring some cloud cover to the forecast area starting this evening. By tomorrow more clouds should arrive and temperatures should cool slightly.

Settlement and consolidation in the snowpack continue across the forecast area. Observations show cold, soft powder on N-NE aspects above 7000' that have been protected from the wind and sun. On E-SE-S-SW-W aspects, the sun and warm temperatures cause the snow to melt during the day. For a few hours during the afternoon 1-3 inches of soft wet snow exists on these aspects up to about 8500'. The clear, cold nights allow this wet surface snow to re-freeze leaving a hard icy surface on these aspects in the mornings. Breakable crusts, and supportable crusts exist on many E and NW aspects. Above treeline hard, wind-packed surfaces and hard, wind-scoured surfaces exist on almost all aspects that were exposed to the winds during the last storm. Yesterday, observations on Mt. Judah showed a mostly stable and strengthening snowpack. Layer bonding tests showed that the bonds between the wind slabs and the snow below them continue to gain strength. In most areas these bonds are strong enough to hold the slab in place. Observations from across the forecast area this week have shown similar conditions.

Today, avalanche activity will remain unlikely across the forecast area. Some small, wet-snow instabilities like point releases, pin-wheels, or roller-balls could form on the most sun exposed SE-S-SW slopes. The gradual warming and strong overnight refreezes should prevent large wet-snow instabilities from forming today. Remember LOW avalanche danger does not mean no avalanche danger. Even though the snowpack is generally stable, some small, isolated areas of unstable snow could still exist. Use good travel habits to minimize risks.

The bottom line:

Avalanche danger is LOW for all elevations and aspects. LOW danger does not mean no danger. Continue to use safe travel habits and evaluated slopes carefully before weighting them.

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	21 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	36 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	East
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	30 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	45 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	146 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Friday:	Friday Night:	Saturday:
Weather:	Sunny	Clear this evening becoming partly cloudy after midnight	Mostly cloudy
Temperatures:	39-46 deg. F.	16-23 deg. F.	37-44 deg. F.
Wind direction:	East shifting to the southwest in the afternoon	Southwest	West
Wind speed:	10 mph	10 mph	20-30 mph with gusts to 35 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Friday:	Friday Night:	Saturday:
Weather:	Sunny	Clear this evening becoming partly cloudy after midnight	Mostly cloudy
Temperatures:	38-44 deg. F.	16-23 deg. F.	36-42 deg. F.
Wind direction:	East shifting to the southwest in the afternoon	Southwest	West
Wind speed:	15-20 mph with gusts to 40 mph decreasing to 10-15 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph	20-30 mph with gusts to 45 mph increasing to gusts to 55 mph in the afternoon
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.