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 lingering high pressure ridge should keep the region dry until tomorrow afternoon when the next low pressure arrives over the Sierra. This low should begin to push more cloud cover into the area over the next 24 hours. The south and southwest winds should also continue to increase ahead of this system. A chance of snow will develop by tomorrow afternoon as this low arrives.

Observations:

Shallow, small, soft wind slabs that failed due to refrigerator-sized cornices pieces falling on them did exist on wind-loaded, N-NE test slopes steeper than 39 degrees in near and above treeline terrain on Silver Peak yesterday (videos). On wind-loaded tests slopes less steep than 38 degrees, in less wind-loaded areas, and on test slopes below treeline on Silver Peak, smaller pieces of cornices dropped onto the slopes and ski cuts only caused shallow (3-4 inch deep) sluffs or nothing at all. On Jake's Peak observations showed a mostly stable snowpack with similar small, surface sluffs occurring in the steepest terrain. Layer bonding tests indicated that bonds between the recent snow and the older snow as well as between the deeper layers in the snowpack continue to strengthen. Soft, unconsolidated snow remained on the surface on the shaded slopes on both Jake's and Silver Peak yesterday; however, on the sun-exposed southerly slopes a thin sun crust had started to form on top of wet, sticky snow.

Primary avalanche concern: Wind Slabs

Human triggered avalanches will remain possible today in isolated pockets of wind-loaded, NW-N-NE-E aspects near and above treeline on slopes steeper than 37 degrees. Wind-loaded complex or extreme terrain (unsupported slopes, couloirs, cliffy areas, etc) will be the most likely areas for these pockets of instability. Additional wind-loading may occur today as the winds increase adding more snow to these wind slabs. Most avalanches due to  failure of these wind slabs should remain shallow within the most recent snow; however, serious consequences could result from these small slides due to their locations. Failures that step down into the older storm snow remain unlikely but not impossible. Cornices that exist above wind-loaded slopes will also remain sensitive to human triggering today.

The bottom line:

LOW avalanche danger exists in most areas above and below treeline. Some isolated pockets of MODERATE avalanche danger remain near and above treeline on NW-N-NE-E aspects, 37 degrees and steeper. 

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	22-27 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	29-34 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	South southwest
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	25-30 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	52 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	65-92 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Friday:	Friday Night:	Saturday:
Weather:	Partly cloudy	Mostly cloudy	Cloudy with a slight chance of snow in the afternoon.
Temperatures:	39-45 deg. F.	17-24 deg. F.	34-41 deg. F.
Wind direction:	Southwest	South	South
Wind speed:	10 mph with gusts to 25 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 30 mph	10-20 mph with gusts to 40 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Friday:	Friday Night:	Saturday:
Weather:	Partly cloudy	Mostly cloudy	Cloudy with a slight chance of snow in the afternoon.
Temperatures:	32-39 deg. F.	20-27 deg. F.	31-38 deg. F.
Wind direction:	Southwest	South	South
Wind speed:	25-35 mph increasing to 30-45 mph with gusts to 65 mph in the afternoon	30-45 mph with gusts to 65 mph	30-45 mph with gusts to 60 mph increasing to 70 mph in the afternoon
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	O in.