Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
2 · Moderate
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Out of date — this forecast expired 2 years ago.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

When the NW winds crank on Mt Hood, it only takes 2-3" of snow to build reactive slabs you can trigger on lee slopes steeper than 35 degrees. Slabs will form further down on the slopes than you'd normally expect and in atypical locations. Constantly recalibrate as you ascend, avoid areas of active drifting, anticipate areas where winds deposit more than 6" of snow above the crust.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1–2

    It doesn't take much dry snow to build large slabs on Mt Hood given the strong winds and extreme gusts that are expected to continue well into the day on Saturday. We expect you'll find 4-7" of snow in sheltered areas at middle elevations on Saturday. But on lee slopes, there could be isolated large slabs and wideaspread smaller slabs. These will continue to build throughout the day given the steady wind direction.  Expect to find deeper layers of transportable snow and more widespread large drifts that may have a less favorable bond to the 1/10 crust at upper elevations, so use hand pits to assess the bond. Ascend with caution, noting the direction of freshly forming cornices and blowing snow. Steer around steeper, pillow-like drifts, and rollovers on lee slopes at middle elevations. Stick to ridgelines and scoured aspects at upper elevations where it will be challenging and dangerous to navigate the extent of drifting. The variability of the snow depth above the crust is the best way to confirm the problem.

    As temperatures cool, slabs will build slightly lower into the terrain, so you might be able to trigger an isolated pocket even at lower elevations.

    (1/10/2025)

    40+ mph winds near ridgelines on Mt Hood redistributed 2-3" of new snow into 1-2 ft slabs on Friday! Expect a few more inches of snow with intense transport continuing on Saturday.

    Photo: Northwest Avalanche Center

Avalanche Discussion

A warm start to the storm brought rain or wet snow up to around 6500 ft early Friday. We expect the storm started cold at higher elevations. By the end of the day, 2-3" of snow sits above the 1/10 crust at 6500 ft, forming shallow slabs that exceed 1 ft in isolated areas. Lower elevations picked up 1-2" of snow - too little for much avalanche risk. We're expecting 2-4" of additional snowfall through Saturday. 

Mt Hood experienced multiple periods of very high freezing level over the past week, creating crusts on all aspects up to 8000 ft. Mt Hood Meadows Patrol reported particuarly intense firm surfaces above 6000 ft. By Friday, these crusts were variably exposed as winds redistributed the snow and could still catch you unaware on windward slopes or in eratically redistributed snow. You can see some pictures from this recent warm spell in the gallery below.

By Saturday, you'll find a few inches of snow over a mixed bag of rain runnels, crusts, and punchy surfaces at lower elevations.

If you get out into the mountains, let us know what you see by submitting a public observation. 

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