Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Wed
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
3 · Considerable
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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

You can trigger avalanches within the new storm snow and on wind-drifted slopes. Your best bet will be to avoid steep slopes and let the storm run its course. 

Avalanche problems

  • Storm Slabs

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

    Expect storm slabs to develop below and near-treeline on Tuesday. New snow will pile up during the late evening and early morning hours, so this fresh storm snow may be reactive to your weight, especially during the earlier hours of the day. You can trigger these storm slabs on steep slopes and convex rollovers. Use smaller test slopes or hand pits to see how this new snow is bonding with the old snow surface. If you notice the new snow sliding easily, shooting cracks, or observing hard over soft layering - take a step back and avoid nearby steep slopes. Your best tool will be time. So let the storm run its course and dial it back until the new snow has time to settle. 

    (2/26/2023)

    You may be able to trigger soft slabs like this on Tuesday.

    Public Field Report: Tom, Dick, and Harry

    Photo:

  • Wind Slabs

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

    As the storm rolls in, so do the winds. These wind drifted slabs will grow in depth and distribution as new snow piles up. This won’t be an avalanche dragon to poke since these slabs will be large enough to bury you. You’ll find these slabs forming on the leeward side of ridges and moraines, under cornices, in chutes/couloirs, and loading alpine slopes. 

    Although you won’t want to search these things out, just consider avoiding any steep wind drifted slopes at the start of the day. You can use visual clues to help you identify slopes of concern. Look for blowing snow, cornice growth, ripples, or rounded pillows at the snow surface to identify where the wind has been at work. Pump the brakes and avoid steep slopes if you see shooting cracks under your skis/sled or feel wind-stiffened snow.

    (1/29/2023)

    A shooting crack in wind-drifted snow. Take a step back and avoid nearby steep slopes if you see signs like this. 

    Photo: Dallas Glass

Avalanche Discussion

Over 1’ of water equivalent is in forecast for Mt Hood. With cold temperatures in place, this amount of water will likely translate into a good dose of snowfall. The bulk of the precipitation will fall during the late evening hours of Monday and into early Tuesday. Look for snowfall to taper during the afternoon hours. The big question mark will be the sun during the afternoon hours. If the sun does make an appearance, you may notice moist snow forming on solar slopes. 

So far the Mt Hood Meadows plot has seen 22 inches of new snow and 1.57 inches of snow water equivalent since the start of the storm on 2/26. With this came an active stretch of avalanche activity. Backcountry travelers triggered and observed multiple avalanches across the zone, all of which were failing within the new storm snow. These incidents serve as a reminder that the hours and days after significant snowfall and wind events are often the most dangerous times to be traveling in avalanche terrain. 

Thanks for all the recent observations!

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