Lawinenlagebericht

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Sun
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
1 · Gering
Unterhalb
Keine Stufe
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Veraltet — dieser Lagebericht ist 3 years ago abgelaufen. Du siehst vergangene Verhältnisse, nicht den aktuellen Bericht.

Kernpunkte

Look for small pockets of wind-drifted snow as you climb above treeline Saturday. These wind-drifted slabs will form on the lee-side of ridges, below cornices, and under rock and cliff bands. Don't let a small avalanche surprise you in the wrong terrain - so pay attention to where the snow is blowing and look for fresh wind deposits as you travel. 

Lawinenprobleme

  • Wind Slabs

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–1.5

    New small, shallow wind slabs may form as a small storm brushes through the region, bringing a small dose of precipitation and moderate SW winds. As winds shift more southwesterly, look for these slabs forming on the leeward side of rides, below cornices, near the top of chutes and couloirs, and scattered throughout the alpine. Recent east winds have been raking Mt Hood, so keep an eye out for wind slabs lurking on west aspects or across terrain (cross-loading) features. 

    Pay attention to the direction of wind loading and use visual surface clues to help you identify the avalanche problem. Look for sharp drifts, pillow-like slabs, or dunes at the snow surface to help you spot where the wind has been at work.  Consider steering around steep wind-loaded slopes if you notice active drifting or signs of instability, such as shooting cracks or hollow-sounding snow.

    Use visual clues like blowing snow to help you identify where wind slabs could be forming.

Avalanche Discussion

A weakening system will roll through the region on Saturday bringing light precipitation and a dose of moderate wind speeds. Snow levels should start falling, so you may even see light snowfall at higher-elevation trailheads.

 Leading up to this weekend, Mt Hood has seen 1-2" inches of water equivalent, fluctuating freezing levels, and strong winds from multiple directions. This pattern left a mixed bag of conditions across the zone. But generally, you'll encounter a crust extending to 7000 ft and drier travel above. 

On Friday observers in the Timberline area reported strong east winds battering through the terrain and drifting soft snow in the alpine. They reported west aspects looking fatter than they usually are - which speaks to the recent East winds. They also reported small, wet loose avalanches in the upper White River as the sun poked out. 

Backcountry winter recreation on snow is limited to middle and upper elevations at this point. While you're out on the snow, keep an eye out for shallowly buried objects such as rocks, creeks, and thinly bridged or even open crevasses. These hazards can exacerbate the consequence of a long fall or small avalanche. 

NWAC may issue a gray "No Rating" for an elevation band when there is not enough snow to present an avalanche hazard.

 

You can contribute to the forecast! Let us know what you found by submitting an observation HERE. 

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