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 forecast calls for another sunny day today with temperatures slightly cooler than yesterday. Daytime highs should only reach into the upper 30's to low 40's above 7000'. The southwest winds which increased yesterday should remain moderate through tomorrow. A low pressure system off the coast should start to affect the forecast area tomorrow and bring some clouds, cooler temperatures, and a slight chance for some isolated afternoon snow showers (more detail and a weather graphic from the NWS here).

Observations:

Yesterday observations on Cup Lake Peak (near Echo Summit) and Folger Peak (near Ebbetts Pass) both showed 3-5 inches of wet, melt-freeze snow on the SE-S aspects by mid-day. In both of these areas small, wet, skier-triggered sluffs occurred on 35-40 degree, SE facing slopes. None of these sluffs entrained enough snow to pose much of a threat to the skiers. Observers reported roller-balls and point-release slides from earlier in the week in both areas as well. On the northerly aspects a thin, breakable melt-freeze crust existed up to 8800' on sun-exposed slopes in both areas. Below 8000' this crust became thicker and more well defined. On the shadier slopes above 8000' this crust gave way to 2-4" of cold, soft snow. Below the melt-freeze crust and below the wet snow, cold, dry well bonded snow remains on all aspects.

Avalanche Concerns:

Wet-snow instabilities that form due to daytime warming will comprise the main avalanche concern again today. The strong overnight refreeze, today's slightly cooler daytime temperatures, and several days of a melt-freeze cycle should all help make these instabilities smaller and less widespread today. Human-triggered, wet, loose avalanches will remain possible on the most sun-exposed E-SE-S-SW aspects.

The bottom line:

This morning LOW avalanche danger exists for all elevations and aspects. Pockets of MODERATE danger will develop below 9,500' on E-SE-S-SW aspects, 35 degrees and steeper due to daytime warming.

Andy Anderson - Avalanche Forecaster, Tahoe National Forest

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

0600 temperature:	30 deg. F.
Max. temperature in the last 24 hours:	42-48 deg. F.
Average wind direction during the last 24 hours:	West southwest
Average wind speed during the last 24 hours:	20 mph
Maximum wind gust in the last 24 hours:	32 mph
New snowfall in the last 24 hours:	O inches
Total snow depth:	66-104 inches

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

For 7000-8000 ft:
	Thursday:	Thursday Night:	Friday:
Weather:	Sunny	Partly cloudy	Mostly cloudy in the morning with a 30% chance of isolated snow showers in the afternoon.
Temperatures:	38-45 deg. F.	26-32 deg. F.	32-39 deg. F.
Wind direction:	Southwest	Southwest	Southwest
Wind speed:	10-15 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph	10-15 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	trace in.
For 8000-9000 ft:
	Thursday:	Thursday Night:	Friday:
Weather:	Sunny	Partly cloudy	Mostly cloudy in the morning with a 30% chance of isolated snow showers in the afternoon.
Temperatures:	36-42 deg. F.	22-29 deg. F.	31-37 deg. F.
Wind direction:	Southwest	Southwest	Southwest
Wind speed:	10-15 mph with gusts to 30 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 30 mph	10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph
Expected snowfall:	O in.	O in.	trace in.