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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 24th, 2016–Jan 25th, 2016

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Mt Hood.

Take time to identify features where wind loading has occurred and go around them and watch for sun effects on steep solar slopes. 

Detailed Forecast

Fair weather should be seen Monday with a warming trend.

Previous mostly small wind slab may linger mainly on lee north to southeast slopes. Watch for signs of firmer, hollow wind transported snow.

Some sun and warmer temperatures should make loose wet avalanches possible on steep solar slopes. Watch for wet surface snow deeper than a few inches on solar slopes and roller balls that usually precede loose wet avalanches.

 

Snowpack Discussion

A warm front last Thursday caused heavy rain on the Washington volcanoes with lighter rain at Mt Hood. While an avalanche cycle was seen in the Washington Cascades this mainly caused consolidation at Mt Hood.

This was followed by cooler weather and some snow. NWAC stations at Mt Hood indicate about 6-9 inches for the 2 days ending this morning.

The Mt Hood Meadows pro patrol today near tree line reported isolated 2-6 inch storm slabs released by ski cuts on lee N-NE slopes. A stable surface crust was reported below tree line.

 

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the 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. 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.