Lawinenlagebericht

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Lawinengefahr

Fri
Hochgebirge
2 · Mässig
Waldgrenze
2 · Mässig
Unterhalb
2 · Mässig
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Kernpunkte

It is possible to trigger wet loose avalanches in snow that continues to warm and weaken on all aspects. You'll have to get to the highest elevations to find drier snow on more shaded aspects. Although unlikely to bury you, a small avalanche could carry you into cliffs, trees, or tight gullies, so be prudent about your terrain selection.

Lawinenprobleme

  • Loose Wet

    • Hochgebirge
    • Waldgrenze
    • Unterhalb der Waldgrenze
    Wahrscheinlichkeit
    Possible
    Größe
    1–2

    The snowpack has been warming and weakening throughout the week, and wet loose avalanches were previously reported. This problem may have run its course by now, but we can't completely rule it out while the weather remains so warm. Once you're sinking past your boots into wet snow, consider that a good time to steer around very steep slopes. If you start seeing wet snow shedding from cliffs, ridgelines, or other terrain features, know that instability is increasing. If things really get manky and you're stepping into your knees in wet snow, the tables are set for a slide to start small and grow large and powerful by entraining wet snow underneath. We saw this happen over the weekend in Heather Canyon, where a wet snow avalanche grew to a historic (D4) size, ran for 10 minutes, and was recorded seismically by the USGS. This slide ran over another D4 avalanche that occurred during the early morning hours on Thursday, March 12th. Consider the consequences of triggering even a small avalanche, where you could be carried into terrain traps below.

    (3/16/2026)

    Tiny chunks of cornice were able to trigger rollerballs on an E aspect at 6400' by mid-day Monday.   Signs like this point to favorable conditions for wet loose avalanches on similar slopes. 

    Photo: Ryan Matz

Avalanche Discussion

In addition to the massive avalanche described in the avalanche problem, observers in recent days also documented multiple crowns on the Wy'east Face and a smaller crown on the upper Newton-Clark Glacier. Mt Hood Meadows Patrol also noted a very large avalanche originating from Superbowl that was likely explosive-triggered, but was not picked up by seismic recordings. This is all thanks to the 11 inches of water equivalent between 03/08-14, corresponding to more than 10 ft of snow at the highest NWAC forecast elevations. Precipitation tapered off in the early morning hours of 03/14, but extreme WSW winds ramped up, resulting in a very intense loading event for upper elevation start zones. Over the course of the weekend, the 3/14 interface turned into a thick crust at middle elevations, but has broken down now that temperatures are not dropping below freezing overnight. This crust isn't expected to reform and stabilize the snowpack for at least the next few days.

Fortunately, the zone continues to escape rain, impacting most of the forecast region, which would renew the higher potential for wet slab avalanches. This problem isn't completely out of the question, though, given just how warm it's been. If water makes its way down to crusts buried within, a large and deadly slab avalanche could occur.

An NWAC Forecaster traveling on the mountain on Tuesday reported that the snow stayed dry above 7500 ft on north and east aspects. We don't know if that dry snow held on on Wednesday. If you travel to these areas, you may still be able to find isolated pockets of wind-loaded snow interspersed among patches of wind-stripped surfaces, including ice and rock. Put this dry snow problem back on your brain if you get to the volcano's highest reaches.

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