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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Mar 2nd, 2015–Mar 3rd, 2015

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

Regions

Mt Hood.

This is a time of the year when you often need to watch for both winter and spring types of avalanche conditions. It is always good to read the forecast for details.

Detailed Forecast

A period of northeast ridge top winds and east pass winds should be seen in the Cascades this afternoon and tonight.

Then decreasing winds and sunny weather should be seen in the Cascades on Tuesday.

Watch for new shallow wind transported snow on unusual south to west facing slopes on Tuesday. Older wind slab from February 27th-28th is also most likely to linger on similar slopes.

The sun will be out full on and stronger and the days are getting longer so keep an eye on solar slopes for wet snow and signs of loose wet snow on solar slopes on Tuesday.

Due to the low snowpack, especially below treeline, watch for terrain hazards such as open creeks, partially covered rocks and vegetation. Many areas below treeline do not have enough snow (new or existing) to pose an avalanche hazard. 

Snowpack Discussion

The latest snowfall in the Cascades was February 25-27th when about 4-10 inches fell near and above treeline at Mt Hood.

This was followed by strong northeast winds in the Cascades and at Mt Hood February 27-28th.

The Mt Hood Meadows patrol, on the morning of February 27th, reported sensitive new wind slab at about 6600 feet on northeast slopes with soft wind slabs around 1 foot easily releasing. 

By February 28th the recent surface snow had been stripped from most slopes above 6500 feet. The winds were so strong to have blasted the shallow surface snow to who knows where, rather than steadily building new wind slab layers. Nonetheless pockets of wind slab will need to be watched for on a variety of terrain features.

The mid and lower snowpack at Mt Hood snow consists of layers of stable consolidated rounded grains or melt forms and crusts from multiple warm periods this winter.

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.