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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 25th, 2015–Jan 26th, 2015

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Mt Hood.

Be aware of heightened avalanche danger in steeper terrain and near terrain traps relating to wet avalanches.    

Detailed Forecast

Monday should be quite warm (freezing levels 11 kft) and mostly sunny. Despite the high freezing levels, a few factors should help tamp down the avalanche danger Monday; a melt-freeze crust formed overnight in sheltered locations, significant snowpack settlement over the past few days, weak solar input (January sun), and moderate winds on the upper mountain will all help limit the likelihood of human or natural wet avalanches.

Generally avoid steep slopes especially near terrain traps where you might be able to push off enough saturated snow to start an avalanche large enough to take you for a ride. 

Remember, due to the unseasonably low snowpack especially at lower elevations, numerous terrain hazards such as open creeks, partially covered rocks and vegetation are widespread.  

Snowpack Discussion

The most recent significant snow from one week ago was in the 5-6 inch range at Mt Hood. Since then roughly half an inch to one inch of rain has fallen at NWAC stations on Mt. Hood for the 48 hr period ending 4 am Saturday.

The Meadows patrol reported crusts and melt forms in the upper pack on Wednesday and Thursday with good stability. Some low density snow from the last storm was transported to N-NE slopes near and above treeline. Over the weekend, Meadows pro-patrol reported a saturated upper snowpack but little in the way of avalanche activity.  

The lower snow pack at Mt Hood should also predominately consist of crusts and stabilized rounded grain or melt form layers from warm periods so far this winter.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.