Avalanche Advisory: Wednesday - Feb 12, 2020 | Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center

Avalanche Problem 1: Normal Caution

Type ?

Mostly light winds and sunny skies will lead to some surface softening on sunny aspects (SE-S-SW) as they warm today. This warming could loosen a small isolated recent wind deposit that formed during the strong northerly winds 2-3 days ago that followed 1-3" of new snowfall. Otherwise the freeze/thaw cycle has occurred plenty of times already for most of the snow on these slopes, which should keep loose wet instabilities fairly inconsequential today and just in the realm of improved riding conditions if the timing is right. Firm and variable conditions abound, making the biggest threat still a fall that would be difficult to self arrest. Use proper tools such as ski crampons, crampons and ice ax, and most importantly good judgement.

advisory discussion

It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten any appreciable snowfall. Periods of extreme winds from every direction over the past month and a half have led to a moon-scape on exposed slopes of cratered sastrugi snow to firm and breakable windboards. More southerly aspects tend to be smoother, but pose their own dangers of more obstacles and frozen firm surfaces if the timing is off. Facets continue to form, and in more sheltered shady areas softer snow can still be found.

recent observations

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-2/11 - June - Chicken Wing: Conditions.

-2/11 - Mammoth - Mammoth Crest: Wind effects.

2/10- June Lk Area –Negatives/Hemlock - 2-3” new snow

2/10 – Mammoth Area- Punta Bardini –snow conditions

2/9 – Convict Lk Area – Laurel Mtn/Mendenhall couloir –Loose snow Avalanche & Rockfall

2/9- Mammoth Area- Sherwins –snow conditions

Weather and CURRENT CONDITIONS

weather summary

Another sunny day on tap today with temperatures reaching the mid 30s around 10,000’, and light winds with moderate northerly gusts at ridgetops. High and dry conditions remain thru the end of the week until a slight chance of flurries returns for Saturday night / Sunday, with little accumulation expected.

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

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

	Wednesday	Wednesday Night	Thursday
Weather:	Sunny. Snow levels below 7000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.	Clear. Snow levels below 7000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.	Sunny. Snow levels below 7000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.
Temperatures:	36 to 46. deg. F.	18 to 23. deg. F.	38 to 48. deg. F.
Mid Slope Winds:	Light winds.	Light winds.	Light winds becoming southwest around 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph in the afternoon.
Expected snowfall:	0 in.	0 in.	0 in.

Over 10,000 ft.

	Wednesday	Wednesday Night	Thursday
Weather:	Sunny. Snow levels below 7000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.	Clear. Snow levels below 7000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.	Sunny. Snow levels below 7000 feet. Chance of precipitation is 0%.
Temperatures:	30 to 36. deg. F.	17 to 22. deg. F.	31 to 37. deg. F.
Ridge Top Winds:	North 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 40 mph.	North around 15 mph in the evening becoming light.	West around 15 mph. Gusts up to 30 mph in the afternoon.
Expected snowfall:	0 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.