Avalanche Advisory: Wednesday - Feb 19, 2020

THIS AVALANCHE ADVISORY EXPIRED ON February 20, 2020 @ 6:21 am
Avalanche Advisory published on February 19, 2020 @ 6:21 am

Issued by Steve Mace - ESAC

Bottom Line

How to read the advisory

LOW avalanche danger persists at all elevations today. Generally safe avalanche conditions exist. Be on the lookout for isolated areas of unstable snow and be aware that the biggest hazards right now are the low coverage and variable surface conditions.

1. Low

Above Treeline

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

1. Low

Near Treeline

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

1. Low

Below Treeline

Generally safe avalanche conditions. Watch for unstable snow on isolated terrain features.

Avalanche Problem 1: Normal Caution

Type ?

advisory discussion

Clear skies and light to moderate winds will likely lead to some surface warming today on solar aspects. Significant loose wet activity will remain unlikely, but it is always important to keep an eye out of isolated instabilities. Field observations continue to highlight variable surface conditions. Some solar aspects that still hold snow are nearly isothermal and resembling a snowpack more typical to late spring. Conversely, many shaded aspects are equally thin and harboring a variety of sastrugi, stiff wind board, melt-freeze crusts, and loose dry faceted snow.

While our recent weather patterns have led to relatively benign avalanche conditions, the most significant hazards today are likely the thin coverage and a variety of slick surface conditions. Terrain selection and timing will be important if you decide to venture into the backcountry today. It may be necessary to climb on hard slick snow and wait for the sun to soften things up before descending. Continue to practice safe travel techniques and bring the proper equipment for your objective. Most importantly, be flexible and move to less consequential terrain if the challenging conditions don’t match up with your group’s equipment or ability level.

recent observations

Submit Snowpack Observations

Submit Avalanche Observations

02/18- June Lake Area- Snow conditions in the June Mtn BC

02/18- McGee Creek- Variable Snow conditions in McGee creek

02/17- Mammoth Area- Hard slick surface conditions in the Sherwins

02/17- Mammoth Area- Solar warming on the backside of Mammoth Mtn

Weather and CURRENT CONDITIONS

weather summary

Expect clear skies and seasonably temperatures today. Light northerly winds will increase slightly this afternoon with ridgetop gusts reaching as high as 25 mph. Daytime temperatures may climb above freezing today with highs expected in the mid 30° s at mid-elevations.

Dry and cool conditions are likely to prevail for the remainder of this week with a slight chance of unsettled weather this weekend. Current models have pushed the onset of this storm back a bit. We may see the low pressure arrive Saturday morning, bringing strong gusty winds and low temperatures with a chance of light snow showers. (->0.1”SWE)

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.	Clear then becoming partly cloudy.	Sunny.
Temperatures:	33 to 43. deg. F.	17 to 23. deg. F.	36 to 46. deg. F.
Mid Slope Winds:	Light winds becoming northeast around 15 mph in the afternoon.	East around 15 mph in the evening becoming light.	South around 15 mph with gusts to 35 mph.
Expected snowfall:	0 in.	0 in.	0 in.

Over 10,000 ft.

	Wednesday	Wednesday Night	Thursday
Weather:	Sunny.	Clear then becoming partly cloudy.	Sunny.
Temperatures:	24 to 32. deg. F.	12 to 17. deg. F.	27 to 35. deg. F.
Ridge Top Winds:	Northwest around 15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.	Southeast around 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph increasing to 35 mph after midnight.	South 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 40 mph.
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.