Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

More rain will maintain the threat of destructive wet avalanches. Reduce your exposure to these hard-to-manage problems by traveling on firmer, more supportable slopes and minimizing time spent on and under large slopes that feel punchy and sloppy. Be ready for variable, firm travel at upper elevations as temperatures begin to drop.

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2–3

    The likelihood of you triggering wet avalanches generally decreases with time, but unfortunately, we’re in for another .50 inch of rain, which will keep wet snow problems on the menu. Until the surface starts to freeze, there is a potential for lingering wet avalanches. These include - slabs, wet loose, cornices, and even glide cracks/avalanches. Unfortunately, these wet  avalanches are notoriously hard to forecast and manage. So reduce your exposure to this problem by avoiding steep slopes that feel sloppy and wet, or by traveling in areas with a crust that feel more supportable. Slopes could fail without warning, possibly triggering additional slabs or loose avalanches on the slopes below. Give these unpredictable time bombs a wide berth as you travel. 

    (1/29/2024)

    A small natural wet slab in Upper White River. 

    WS-N-R1-D1.5-U

    Photo: Joseph Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

This past week, the Mt Hood zone has seen over 3 inches of rain and lost over 15 inches of snow since January 26th.  This warm-up left its mark, with widespread rain runnels extending to 9000 ft and plenty of wet avalanche debris littering canyon bottoms and the run-out of most avalanche paths. Fortunately, some cooler temperatures are in sight, but we just have to get through one more day of high-elevation rain. Precipitation numbers are not too impressive but should make for another drippy day around Mt Hood. As the day progresses, snow levels will decrease and may creep as low as 7000 ft by the afternoon. So, you may start seeing dry snow accumulating at the highest elevations. If this is the case, be on the lookout for dry snow avalanche problems like wind slabs on leeward aspects above 7000 ft. 

As winds ramp up and temperatures decrease, travel will likely firm up quickly. From here on out, it may be worth packing the ‘sharps’ for any upper mountain trip until new snows start to blanket the landscape. 

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

 

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