Avalanche Advisory: Tuesday - Jan 12, 2021 | Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center

Avalanche Problem 1: Normal Caution

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There is a slight chance for 1 inch of new snow today, and this combined with transporting SW winds may produce some minor surface instabilities. Overall the residual thin snowpack exists in a meager and dormant status. Although conditions are relatively benign it doesn’t mean that you can’t find isolated pockets of instability in areas. Extreme terrain may still harbor panels of old wind slab that have been dis-connected to residing snowfields by eroding winds. Current conditions warrant consideration of your Risk vs. Reward. Every type of surface conditions exists out there from some soft residual powder in sheltered trees to boiler plate, unsupportable faceted snow, and breakable surface crusts. The plethora of obstacles and your exposure to them remain the biggest hazards, where even a small fall or slide could prove to be really dangerous. Crampons,ice axes along with well tuned boards are recommeded equipment for alpine objectives at this point.

recent observations

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1/11 – Lee Vining Area – Kidney Couloir –Solar gains on due south aspects, sticky snow lower

1/10 –Mammoth Rock – Minaret Vista – snow conditions

1/10 – Mammoth Area- Hammil Bowl–ECTP at tree line

1/10 – June Lake Area – Hemlock Ridge –snow conditions

Weather and CURRENT CONDITIONS

weather summary

It should be cloudy today and just a touch cooler with continued warm temperatures reaching 44degF in the lower mountain elevations and up to 36degF in the Upper elevations. SW winds of 20-35mph with gusts increasing to 55mph at ridge top in the afternoon are scheduled. There is a small chance we could see a skiff of new snow as we get brushed again by a northerly system heading through the Pacific Northwest. Westerly winds set in tonight and tomorrow with even warmer conditions setting in Wednesday.

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

For 8,000 ft. to 10,000 ft.

	Tuesday	Tuesday Night	Wednesday
Weather:	Cloudy. Snow levels below 7000 feet increasing to 7000 feet in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 5%.	Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy. Snow levels 8500 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.	Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy. Snow levels 9000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.
Temperatures:	36 to 44. deg. F.	26 to 31. deg. F.	42 to 50. deg. F.
Mid Slope Winds:	Southwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 50 mph.	West around 15 mph with gusts to 45 mph.	West 15 to 20 mph with gusts to 50 mph.
Expected snowfall:	N0 in.	0 in.	0 in.

Over 10,000 ft.

	Tuesday	Tuesday Night	Wednesday
Weather:	Cloudy. Snow levels below 7000 feet increasing to 7000 feet in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 5%.	Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy. Snow levels 9000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 5%.	Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy. Snow levels 9500 feet. Chance of precipitation is 5%.
Temperatures:	28 to 36. deg. F.	22 to 27. deg. F.	34 to 42. deg. F.
Ridge Top Winds:	Southwest 20 to 35 mph. Gusts up to 45 mph increasing to 55 mph in the afternoon.	West 15 to 30 mph with gusts to 60 mph.	West 25 to 40 mph with gusts to 65 mph.
Expected snowfall:	Up to an inch. \| SWE = trace amounts. in.	0 in.	0 in.

Disclaimer

This Avalanche Advisory is designed to generally describe avalanche conditions where local variations always occur. This product only applies to backcountry areas located outside established ski area boundaries. The information in this Avalanche Advisory is provided by the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, who is solely responsible for its content.