Mt Hood

Avalanches remain unlikely in the Mt. Hood forecast area. Increasing freezing levels and lighter winds should help surfaces soften on sun-exposed slopes as the day pay progresses. Continue to use normal caution and prepare for firm travel, especially during the morning hours. 

Monday is shaping up to be a more pleasant day as wind speeds decrease and freezing levels rise. Freezing levels are forecast to shoot up to 11,000 ft, so this combined with light winds should help solars soften up nicely. 

As this pattern continues, keep some things in mind:

• Long, sliding falls will continue to be one of your primary mountain hazards. Expect surfaces to be the most firm during the early morning hours, with some softening on solars as the day heats up. Pay close attention to aspect and timing to help you find softer surfaces, and remember it doesn’t take much shade for surfaces to flash-freeze at the end of the day. Having crampons, an ice axe, and the ability to use this gear properly will be absolutely necessary to navigate safely in our terrain.
• Wet snow is expected to form on SW-SE aspects as the day heats up. Fortunately, the snowpack is well adjusted to temperature fluctuations at this point, but that doesn’t mean a small rogue wet loose won't happen. Adjust your plans and head to shadier slopes if you notice ski cuts triggering wet loose sluffs or if you find yourself sinking past your ankles in wet snow. 
• Triggering a wind slab is unlikely, but not impossible, especially on upper mountain terrain features. On Saturday, forecasters observed the strong NE winds drifting snow onto upper mountain, west aspects like the  Sandy Headwall and Reid Glacier. If you find yourself traveling at the highest elevations, still be on the lookout for wind-stiffened slabs. Surface clues like ripples, dunes, and pillows can help you anticipate where wind slabs may lurk. 
• Continue to use normal caution and best-practice backcountry travel techniques. Carry avalanche rescue gear and only expose one rider or climber at a time to steep, complex terrain. 

While not a problem right now, the snowpack continues to weaken during this prolonged period of high pressure. Snow surfaces vary widely between slick crusts, old wind-drifted snow, sastrugi, and even some softer, faceting snow on true northerlies in sheltered terrain. The distribution of weak snow surfaces varies, but below the surface plenty of faceted snow can be found, often sandwiched between crust layers. This structure is not currently an issue in most places, but it could be a different story once there is a slab above.

Even during long periods of high pressure, observations are key in producing a more accurate avalanche forecast. Let us know what you see by submitting a public observation here.