Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Mt Hood.
This is a time of the year when you often need to watch for both winter and spring types of avalanche conditions. It is always good to read the forecast for details.
Detailed Forecast
Light winds and diminishing high clouds with sunshine and mild daytime temperatures are expected Friday.Â
Most areas do not have sufficient surface snow to become wet and easily available for wet snow avalanches, however, sunshine and warm afternoon temperatures should maintain somewhat of a loose wet avalanche problem on Friday. Watch for wet snow deeper than a few inches or rollerballs or pinwheels on steep solar slopes. The problem of loose wet avalanches should not be extensive, but limit your terrain choices if you see more activity than expected.
Cornices will not be listed as a problem yet, but start to practice checking the ridges for these as we shift into spring.
Due to the low snowpack, especially below treeline, watch for terrain hazards such as open creeks, partially covered rocks and vegetation. Many areas below treeline do not have enough snow (new or existing) to pose an avalanche hazard.
Snowpack Discussion
The latest snowfall in the Cascades was late last week when about 4-10 inches fell near and above treeline at Mt Hood.
This was followed by strong northeast winds in the Cascades and at Mt Hood Friday and Saturday.
The Meadows patrol reported sensitive new wind slab last Friday morning at about 6600 feet on NE slopes with soft wind slabs around 1 foot easily releasing.Â
By Saturday the Meadows patrol reported that the winds were so strong to have blasted the shallow surface snow to who knows where, rather than steadily building new wind slab layers.
The Minor cooler weather on Sunday and Monday has been followed by sunny and gradually weather on Tuesday through Thursday. This likely has stabilized any recent isolated wind slab layers.
The mid and lower snowpack at Mt Hood consists of layers of stable consolidated rounded grains or melt forms and crusts from multiple warm periods this winter.
Avalanche Problems
Loose Wet
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. They generally move slowly, but can contain enough mass to cause significant damage to trees, cars or buildings. 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.
Travel when the snow surface is colder and stronger. Plan your trips to avoid crossing on or under very steep slopes in the afternoon. Move to colder, shadier slopes once the snow surface turns slushly. Avoid steep, sunlit slopes above terrain traps, cliffs areas and long sustained steep pitches.
Several loose wet avalanches, and lots of pinwheels and roller balls.
Loose wet avalanches occur where water is running through the snowpack, and release at or below the trigger point. Avoid terrain traps such as cliffs, gullies, or tree wells. Exit avalanche terrain when you see pinwheels, roller balls, a slushy surface, or during rain-on-snow events.
Aspects: South East, South, South West.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Possible
Expected Size: 1 - 1