Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Dec 29 – 30, 2014Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map
Archived · expired 12 years ago

Avalanche danger

Tue
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable

Highlights

More caution will be needed Monday at Mt Hood than the rest of the NWAC forecast area due to the heavy snowfall through Sunday.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1
  • Storm Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1

Detailed Forecast

Northwest winds should change to northeast with an end to light snow showers and cool temperatures at Mt Hood on Monday. A stabilizing trend will start on Monday. But it will take longer at Mt Hood than the rest of the NWAC forecast area due to the heavy snowfall through Sunday.

Areas of lingering deep wind slab should be likely at Mt Hood on Monday. Watch for firmer wind transported snow on steep lee slopes.

Areas of lingering storm slab should also be possible on Monday. This could be pretty widespread at Mt Hood since most of Mt Hood received prolonged heavy snowfall.

Any hoar frost that survived the storm could increase the instability of wind or storm slab layers.

Instability should be limited to new snow and deeper instabilities in the snow pack are not currently expected at Mt Hood.

The sun should be out by later Monday but sun effects should be limited since we are barely past the solstice.

Note that northeast winds may increase Monday night and Tuesday so heads up for new wind slab potential on Tuesday.

.

 

Snowpack Discussion

A cooler period with little precipitation was seen about Thursday to Friday. Some hoar frost is possible from Thursday night.

A cold front moved over the Northwest on Saturday and Saturday night. West winds changed to northwest, with moderate to heavy snow persisting at Mt Hood through today and a cooling trend. It has been dumping snow at Mt Hood today. NWAC sites at Timberline and Meadows indicate 1.5 feet of storm snow by this afternoon with at least a few more inches likely this evening and night.

NWAC observer CJ Svela called from Timberline to report heavy snow and heavy snow loading on this morning. The avalanche forecast for Mt Hood was changed to high for the above and near tree line zones.

Regions covered