Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Strong E-NE winds will build fresh wind slabs Saturday night and Sunday on unusual aspects.  Avoid steep open slopes at upper elevations where you find stiff or hollow-feeling snow.  If you see signs of higher hazard like shooting cracks and new avalanches, step back to lower angled and sheltered terrain. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    Low density snow combined with strong E-NE winds Saturday night through Sunday will create fresh wind slabs.  It's not really a question of if but where and how deep.  You'll need to adjust your mindset with this wind pattern, your usual windward slopes may be the ones most likely to have a new wind slab problem.  Where stiffer wind driven snow builds over a smooth crust, avalanches may run further than you expect.  Most wind slabs will be shallow but deeper drifts aren't out of the question given the duration and strength of the winds.  

    With winds this strong, you'll find wind affected snow below treeline too.  It's not impossible that you'll be able to find and trigger a small wind slab avalanche on open slopes at lower elevations.  Watch for shooting cracks and new avalanches as signs that it's time to step back to simpler and lower angled terrain.  

     

    (1/17/2023)

    Shooting cracks - a red flag that should not be ignored.  Avoid wind loaded slopes if you notice signs like this. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

A few inches of snow fell Saturday afternoon on a variety of surfaces along with increasing NE winds.  Prior to this system, a few inches of snow were noted at area weather stations Thursday night and Friday morning along with strong to extreme NW-N winds.  The western side of the mountain picked up much more precipitation but at least at our weather stations, it didn't translate into vastly different amounts likely due to varying snow levels, precipitation types and strong winds.  No significant avalanches have been reported over the last few days.  

If you get out into the new snow, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation!

 

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