Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Fri
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

The avalanche danger may tick upwards as a weak weather system delivers a shot of light snow along with moderate to strong winds on Thursday.  Use caution on steep lee slopes with freshly drifted snow, especially at upper elevations.  Be prepared for challenging early season travel at lower elevations. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1–1.5

    Shifting winds will easily blow and drift a few inches of new snow on Thursday.  Shallow fresh wind slabs may form directly below ridgelines on a variety of aspects, especially above treeline.  Look for the tell-tale signs of increasing instability like shooting cracks, and use small test slopes to gauge the bond of the new snow to the old surface before committing to more consquential terrain.    

    (11/27/2024)

    Shooting cracks in wind-drifted snow are a sign you could trigger a wind slab avalanche on similar steep slopes.

    Photo: Payton Schiff

Avalanche Discussion

On Tuesday, NWAC forecaster Joe Dellaporta took a closer look at conditions along Pea Gravel Ridge.  The 12/7 crust (the closest crust to the surface in sheltered terrain) has about 6-8" of recent snow on top of it.  In wind-loaded terrain around 6000' (NE aspects), snowpack tests indicated the potential for propagation just above the crust.  We'll have to watch this interface as we add more snow over the coming days and weeks.   With great visibility, no natural or human-triggered avalanches were observed.  On steep sunny southerly aspects, you could push a few inches of wet snow above the 12/7 crust and potentially initiate a small wet loose avalanche - not something we'll need to worry about as the weather turns colder on Thursday.  

While the snowpack is doing well for mid-December at mid and upper elevations, the situation is quite different at lower elevations.  Last weekend's storm started warm and pushed rain well into the alpine before ending on snowy note.  The lower elevation snowpack took a step backwards following the storm.  If you're starting down low, be prepared for the early season travel challenges that come with low snow; open creeks, downed logs, stumps, rocks, etc.  

If you get out, we'd love to know what you see. You can submit an observation here!

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