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Recent Locations: Merced, CA  

Avalanche Warning issued February 17 at 5:19AM PST by NWS Reno NV

AREAS AFFECTED: Greater Lake Tahoe Area; Greater Lake Tahoe Area

DESCRIPTION: AVWREV The following message is transmitted at the request of the U.S. Forest Service Sierra Avalanche Center. The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee has issued a BACKCOUNTRY AVALANCHE WARNING for the following areas: NWS Reno NV - NVZ002 (Greater Lake Tahoe)...CAZ072 (Greater Lake Tahoe (CA)) * WHAT...HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry. Large avalanches are expected to occur Tuesday, Tuesday night, and into at least early Wednesday morning across backcountry terrain. HIGH avalanche danger might continue through the day on Wednesday. * WHERE...Central Sierra Nevada Mountains between Yuba Pass (Highway 49) on the north and Ebbetts Pass (Highway 4) on the south, including the greater Lake Tahoe area. This does not include ski areas or highways where avalanche mitigation programs exist. * WHEN...In effect from Tuesday 5 AM PST to Wednesday 5 AM PST. * IMPACTS...Rapidly accumulating snowfall, weak layers in the existing snowpack, and gale-force winds that blow and drift snow have created dangerous avalanche conditions in the mountains. Natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury or injure people are very likely. * PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Traveling in, near, or below backcountry avalanche terrain is not recommended during HIGH avalanche danger. Consult https://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/ or www.avalanche.org for more detailed information. Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center.

INSTRUCTION: N/A

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Weather Topic: What is Precipitation?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Precipitation

Precipitation Next Topic: Rain

Precipitation can refer to many different forms of water that may fall from clouds. Precipitation occurs after a cloud has become saturated to the point where its water particles are more dense than the air below the cloud.

In most cases, precipitation will reach the ground, but it is not uncommon for precipitation to evaporate before it reaches the earth's surface. When precipitation evaporates before it contacts the ground it is called Virga. Graupel, hail, sleet, rain, drizzle, and snow are forms of precipitation, but fog and mist are not considered precipitation because the water vapor which constitutes them isn't dense enough to fall to the ground.

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Weather Topic: What are Shelf Clouds?

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Shelf Clouds Next Topic: Sleet

A shelf cloud is similar to a wall cloud, but forms at the front of a storm cloud, instead of at the rear, where wall clouds form.

A shelf cloud is caused by a series of events set into motion by the advancing storm; first, cool air settles along the ground where precipitation has just fallen. As the cool air is brought in, the warmer air is displaced, and rises above it, because it is less dense. When the warmer air reaches the bottom of the storm cloud, it begins to cool again, and the resulting condensation is a visible shelf cloud.

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