A new winter storm is moving into California and avalanche danger in the mountains continues to be a factor following the pair of avalanches — one of them fatal — that hit Lake Tahoe this week.
On Wednesday a man was killed at the Palisades Tahoe ski resort and three others were caught in the slide, one of them injured. Another avalanche hit the area Thursday, though no injuries were reported.
The Sierra Avalanche Center has since been stressing that its forecasts and statistics are for the backcountry, and that ski resorts perform their own avalanche control measures, as does Caltrans.
The center's forecast map shows "considerable" avalanche danger for a 100-mile stretch of the Sierra Nevada range from north of Truckee to just north of Sonora Pass. In the last two weeks, the center has reported observed and confirmed 28 avalanches in the area.
Travis Feist, the center's education coordinator, said in Friday’s "state of the snowpack" video that the snow coming this weekend is likely to add to the hazard.
“If you're out recreating this weekend, I'd recommend some wide safety margins,” he said. “And in particular, watch out for overhead avalanche danger."
That means even if you're on flat ground, if there's a slope or a cliff above you, there's a risk of an avalanche you might not see coming in advance.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning from Friday evening through Saturday, with 1-2 feet of snow possible above 6,000 feet of elevation, and snow levels dropping to around 2,500-3,500 feet overnight.
Travel through the Sierra is “highly discouraged” according to the weather service. The agency said that if you do travel to winterize your vehicle, pack an emergency kit and check road conditions before you go.
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