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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 5th, 2018–Jan 6th, 2018

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

Regions

Mt Hood.

Light snow and wind above treeline may develop small wind slabs overnight Friday and early Saturday. Monitor changing snow surface conditions throughout the day and be prepared to change your travel based on current conditions.

Detailed Forecast

Cooling overnight Friday with light rain showers changing to light snow showers. Showers should end by midday Saturday with further cooling and light winds.

The moist to wet snow surface will begin forming a new crust with only light amounts of fresh snow expected above. This should not lead to an overall increase in danger, especially at near and below treeline elevations.

Light snowfall and higher winds may occur at the upper elevations in the above treeline band. As snow begins to accumulate Friday night and early Saturday, keep watch for developing wind slabs on northerly to easterly facing slopes, mainly if greater new snow is received than forecast.

Early season hazards still exist. Many creek beds have still not filled in for the winter.

Snowpack Discussion

Light to moderate rain Thursday night and Friday began to soften surface crusts on most slopes.

Rain has fallen on a variety of snow surfaces, including wind scoured snow, crusts, and likely stubborn to unreactive wind slabs.

Several rain and freezing rain crusts are sandwiched in the upper snowpack depending on elevation. Current observations do not suggest these layers to be reactive.

Observations

Mt Hood Meadows Ski Patrol reported a melt-freeze crust at the surface Thursday prior to the precipitation event.

 

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.