Avalanche Forecast
Regions: Mt Hood.
Dangerous avalanche conditions are expected on Thursday at Mt Hood. Watch for rapidly changing snow conditions if you decide to venture into avalanche terrain.
Detailed Forecast
Southwest flow will carry the first in a parade of mild wet fronts across the Northwest on Thursday. At Mt Hood this will cause increasing winds and increasing moderate to heavy rain or snow Thursday with rising snow levels.The snow level at Mt Hood should rise to about 7500 feet at Mt Hood by Thursday afternoon.
The main avalanche problem at Mt Hood should be increasing loose wet snow avalanches involving snow from so far in February. The late January crust should make a good bed surface on many slopes. Small natural or triggered loose wet avalanches should be likely in many areas with some large wet loose avalanches.
Dangerous avalanche conditions are expected on Thursday at Mt Hood. Watch for rapidly changing snow conditions if you decide to venture into avalanche terrain.
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Snowpack Discussion
Mild weather with sunny days or minor rain or snow was seen from about January 26th to about January 31st. This caused more consolidation, stabilizing and the formation of a thick strong stable surface crust in most areas west of the crest including Mt Hood.
Slightly wet weather from about February 1 through today produced about 5 inches of snow at NWAC sites at Mt Hood.
Tuesday and today the Meadows patrol reports easy ski triggered 2-6 inch storm slab avalanches. NWAC observer CJ Svela  today also reports some natural loose wet avalanches and cornice drops in the White River Canyon.
The mid and lower snowpack at Mt Hood should consist of layers of stable consolidated rounded grains or melt forms and crusts from multiple warm periods this winter.
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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: All aspects.
Elevations: All elevations.
Likelihood: Likely
Expected Size: 1 - 1