Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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Out of date — this forecast expired 3 years ago.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

Highlights

New snow and changing wind directions will keep pockets of wind-blown snow sensitive to your weight on Sunday. Pay attention to blowing snow and rounded, textured pillows to help you pinpoint where the avalanche problem exists. Some slabs could break wider than expected if they rest over weak snow, so choose simple terrain out of the wind zone for safer travel. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Likely
    Size
    1.5–2.5

    The consistent trickle of new snow and variable, gusty winds will keep wind slabs fresh and reactive to your weight on Sunday. As I write this, winds are still blowing out of the east, but they should change more westerly and turn strong through the day on Sunday. This shift in wind direction should start building slabs in more typical locations like east facing terrain across the mountain. However, don’t let your guard down as you change aspects. As you travel, look for areas that promote drifting, such as the downwind sides of ridges, beneath rock and cliff bands, or on the breakover of unsupported features. Any triggered wind slab could propagate widely and become larger if they rest over a weak layer 1-3 ft below the snow surface. Seek out more sheltered slopes or scoured surfaces to avoid this avalanche problem. 

    In more wind sheltered areas, old storm snow instabilities should be settling out. However, new snow will fall on a slight warming trend, so look for potentially reactive storm slabs during periods of heavy snowfall.  You can use small test slopes to gauge the reactivity of this storm snow. If these slabs do form, they should remain small and isolated - but worth keeping in mind before sliding down a steep, unsupported feature out the wind. 

    (1/22/2024)

    Blowing snow, sharp drifts, and fresh cornices are all clear signs that wind slabs are lurking nearby. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

The Mt Hood trickle continues. A small system moving north should deliver another .25-.50 inches of precipitation, which could result in another 3-6 inches of new snow by the end of the day. Winds will change more westerly (and strong) bringing subtle warming with it as the day progresses. With this change in weather, look for reactive wind slabs as you climb into exposed areas. At lower elevations, you may notice small rollerballs as surfaces moisten. We don’t expect wet loose avalanches to be that much of a problem, but it is worth keeping on your radar as temperatures rise or if the sun decides to poke out for short periods.

Backcountry travelers and avalanche professionals reported numerous avalanches on Friday. Most of the large avalanches occurred in heavily wind-loaded terrain above 6000 ft. The Mt Hood Meadows Pro Patrol even reported an artillery-triggered D 2.5 just beneath the Newton Clark Headwall at roughly 8500 ft, E aspect. Another observer in the Government Camp area saw a large, natural slab near West Crater Rim on the south side (photo in gallery). However, avalanches were not just limited to exposed terrain; travelers still reported triggering small storm slabs failing on a crust below treeline. 

Observations continue to trickle in of weak snow just above a crust (EFC) 1-3 ft below the snow surface. This weak snow has been responsible for propagating test results but hasn’t produced any known avalanches yet. The forecast team is still tracking the distribution and sensitivity of this weak layer, so ease into the terrain with caution and, importantly, let us know if you see something notable!

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