The Sierra Avalanche Center, vital for providing daily avalanche forecasts in the Lake Tahoe region, faces potential reductions in forecasting due to federal staff cuts. Currently staffed by three forecasters responsible for a 200-square-mile area, a layoff could limit forecasts to four days a week. This would jeopardize not only immediate safety for the backcountry skiing community but also hinder long-term monitoring of avalanche risks. The situation is particularly urgent amid heightened avalanche danger during the winter storm season, emphasizing the center's crucial role in maintaining safety in the backcountry.
More than 200,000 people rely on the Sierra Avalanche Center's forecasts for safety while skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry, which may soon be at risk.
Due to federal staff cuts, if one forecaster is laid off, the Sierra Avalanche Center may reduce avalanche forecasts to just four days a week.
Executive Director David Reichel emphasized that with two forecasters, it's not feasible to provide comprehensive, safe coverage seven days a week.
A gap in avalanche forecasting could impede the center's ability to monitor snowpack, posing long-term risks for safety in the backcountry.
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