Sierra Avalanche Center

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - 7:20AM
Click here for more information: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts
THE BOTTOM LINE

As the weather warms over the next few days, expect the snow to go from crusty in the morning to wet and mushy as the day warms up, or if rain falls on the snow. Once wet snow forms, keep an eye out for wet loose avalanches on steep slopes. Consider moving away from avalanche terrain if the snow feels mushy or if you start sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow.

This will be the last general update of the season. We will issue a general spring statement on April 30 with helpful information for springtime conditions.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Sunday, April 26, 2026 - 7:31AM
Click here for more information: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts/avalanche/central-sierra-nevada #/central-sierra-nevada/
THE BOTTOM LINE

Some small areas of unstable snow may form on terrain features that get filled in with wind-blown snow during the next day or two. Look out for places where wind-drifted snow piles up, like on the downwind side of ridges and in gullies, and move around those areas carefully, especially if you see cracking in the snow or a recent avalanche. In areas where less new snow falls or places sheltered from the wind, less avalanche concerns exist.

As temperatures start to warm and the sun returns later this week, wet-snow issues may return to the forecast area.

We will update this product on or before Tuesday, April 28.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Thursday April 23, 2026 6:33am
For more complete info visit: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts/avalanche/central-sierra-nevada #/central-sierra-nevada/
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Warming temperatures and strong April sunshine will quickly transform recent storm snow into warm, heavy, and wet snow. Wet loose avalanches will become possible on steep slopes quickly as daytime warming occurs. If you see signs of unstable wet snow developing like roller balls, pinwheels, or deep wet snow-it's time to move away from avalanche terrain.

We will update this product on or before Sunday, April 26.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Tuesday April 21, 2026 6:49am
For more complete information visit: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts/avalanche/central-sierra-nevada #/central-sierra-nevada/
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Storm slab avalanches are expected to become likely as new snow and strong winds impact our forecast region during the Tuesday through Wednesday storm cycle. Storm slabs could be triggered in both wind exposed and wind protected terrain with some natural avalanches possible. Consider avoiding avalanche terrain if you see signs of unstable snow; such as recent avalanches, wind drifted slopes, or where snow surface cracking is occurring.

We will update this product on or before Thursday, April 23rd.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Sunday, April 19, 2026
For more complete information visit: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts
The Bottom Line:
Warm weather continues into Monday. Expect the snow to get wet and mushy during the day, with the possibility of wet loose avalanches on steep slopes. Consider moving away from avalanche terrain if the snow feels mushy, unsupportable, or you start sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow.

Snow is expected to return to the region early Tuesday morning.

We will update this product on or before Tuesday, April 21st.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Saturday, April 18, 2026
For more detailed information visit: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts
The Bottom Line:
Warm weather continues into Monday. Expect the snow to get wet and mushy during the day, with the possibility of wet loose avalanches on steep slopes. Consider moving away from avalanche terrain if the snow feels mushy, unsupportable, or you start sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow.

Snow and rain are expected to return to the region on Tuesday.

We will update this product on or before Tuesday, April 21st.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - 7:05AM
Click here to read the General Avalanche Information: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts
THE BOTTOM LINE
On the warm sunny days this week (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) expect the snow to get wet and mushy during the day, and look out for possible wet loose avalanches on steep slopes. On these days, consider moving away from avalanche terrain. If the snow feels mushy, or you start sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow.

On the colder day (Thursday), expect more frozen surfaces covered with a dusting of new snow, and less avalanche concerns

We will update this product on or before Sunday, April 19th.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 7:00AM

Click here for the avalanche forecast: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts

This is the last daily forecast of the season. We will provide intermittent General Avalanche Information bulletins through the end of April as conditions warrant.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Warm temperatures and strong April sunshine mean that the snow will quickly become wet and mushy in many places today. Once it warms up, wet loose avalanches will be possible on steep slopes. Consider moving away from avalanche terrain if the snow feels mushy, or you start sinking into boot-top-deep wet snow.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area

4/13/26 Castle & Andesite Observation

We returned to Donner Summit today and found very different conditions from yesterday. The storm had deposited about 2 ft of new snow in this area. We started off by testing slopes nearby one that failed easily yesterday. Today, multiple ski kicks only elicited minor sluffs and small cracks in these slopes, whereas yesterday they would have avalanched.

As we continued up Castle Peak, we noticed that the strong sun had already formed some wet surface snow by 10:30 am. Ski kicks triggered 2-3 ft diameter pinwheels and small sluffs of wet snow on sunny slopes by 11 am. Cloud cover also began moving over the area around that time, but the damage had already been done. E-SE-S-SW aspects had shallow wet snow on them. Thin crusts also formed on some NE and E aspects due to brief sun exposure.

We continued up the ridge past several wind-loaded test slopes that did not react to our ski cuts and kicks. We also saw 2 avalanches that must have occurred naturally yesterday. They had snow on them, and tests on wind-loaded features near those avalanches also did not produce signs of lingering instability. Eventually, we found colder, softer snow on shaded and sheltered N and NW aspects, but the sun had also started to change these slopes in the spots where it hit them.

We saw several avalanches that had occurred yesterday. They all had new snow on top of them, so they must have released before it stopped snowing last night. We did not see any avalanches that occurred today. new avalanches today.

We dug a snowpit adjacent to one of the natural avalanches from yesterday. There was almost 3 ft of storm snow on top of the old snow surface in this wind-loaded area. The storm snow got progressively harder with depth and seems to be consolidating. Tests did not indicate lingering instability. The old snow below the storm snow remains wet.
On the way out, we returned to some east-facing slopes where ski cuts triggered more pinwheels and ski-width wide sluffs of wet snow.

Monday, April 13, 2026 - 7:00AM
Click here for the avalanche forecast: https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/forecasts
THE BOTTOM LINE
Triggering a large avalanche remains possible today, especially near ridges, on open slopes, and in gullies filled with wind-blown snow. If the sun comes out, some wet snow may also slide down steep slopes. Identify areas where unstable snow might exist using clues such as snow surface cracking, recent avalanches, or roller balls or sluffs of wet snow, and move around these areas with caution.

The last daily forecast of the season will be tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14. We will provide intermittent General Avalanche Information bulletins through the end of April as conditions warrant.

Central Sierra Nevada - Avalanche Forecast | Sierra Avalanche Center Backcountry Avalanche, Snow, and Weather Information for the greater Lake Tahoe area