Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sat
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Identify freshly windblown snow by its firm or textured appearance and navigate around steep lee slopes where you find wind-blown snow accumulating. Continue to give recently formed cornices extra space when traveling along ridgelines. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1

    Gusty winds will form fresh shallow wind slabs with incoming light snow. Expect wind slabs to be small and isolated to locations like lee slopes near ridge crests. Higher elevation and more wind exposed areas will be the most likely place to find a fresh slab, but wind drifted snow may accumulate in some steep features at lower elevations. Look for actively blowing snow and use surface clues such as firm or textured snow to identify where a wind slab may have formed. If you see these signs navigate around features steeper than 35 degrees that are holding wind drifted snow.

    (3/2/2021) Natural wind slabs at 9000 ft in wind-loaded start zones. Shallow wind slabs will reform in similar locations to these avalanches on lee slopes.

Avalanche Discussion

Several natural and human-triggered avalanches and a large explosive-triggered avalanche occurred on Monday.   Some avalanches have released several feet down to a freezing rain crust that formed Monday 2/22 below 7000'.  It's unlikely you'll trigger a wind slab avalanche in older wind-affected snow unless there is a large trigger such as a cornice failure. Avalanche problems will mostly be confined to fresh windblown snow on Friday.

Mt. Hood pivoted rapidly away from a cold, stormy pattern and into spring-like weather this week. Daytime freezing levels exceeded 7000 ft Sunday through Thursday. A cooling trend begins Friday, but in the process, light rain and or snow may still weaken the snow surface. Much of the loose wet avalanche activity has already occurred, but If you find wet surface snow or indicators of increasing instability like rain, rollerballs or pinwheels, move to lower angle terrain or shadier aspects.

Cornices have grown big in some areas.  Cooling temps will help stabilize these cornices, but that will likely not be until Friday night. Avoid traveling underneath them and give them a wide buffer.  A large cornice failure could trigger a large lingering wind slab on the slope below. 

During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, continue to follow the latest guidance from local, state, and federal health officials. Avoid unnecessary risks that could impact first responders and stress medical resources.  Wear a mask when appropriate, practice social distancing, and consider recreating closer to home.

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