Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
View on map

Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
3 · Considerable
Treeline
3 · Considerable
Below
2 · Moderate
Open full map
Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

It will be easy to trigger avalanches where the wind drifts new snow at upper elevations. Expect up to 1 foot of new snow with strong westerly winds. While the avalanche danger may be less elevated in the early morning, expect it to increase as the day goes on.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    New snow and strong westerly wind will form fresh wind-drifted slabs. Use caution on leeward sides of ridges and terrain features. Look and feel in the snow for clues such as stiffer, deeper drifts, or sculpted surfaces. Steer around convex roll-overs and slopes 35 degrees and steeper where you see evidence of drifting. Cracks shooting through the snow are a sign that you should stick to lower-angled slopes. The new snow should bond decently well at lower elevations. Increasing winds in the afternoon could form wind slabs even below treeline.

    (3/16/2022)

    Wind Slab on NE aspect above treeline at Mt. Hood Meadows. Crown was 5 ft (skier for scale) with failure on a density change just above the 3/12 crust. Estimated D2.5.

    Photo: MHM Pro Patrol

Avalanche Discussion

On Friday, an observer near Big Zig Zag Canyon found a number of recent crusts in the upper snowpack that were well-bonded to adjacent layers. Storms in the past week added an additional 2 feet to the snowpack. An atmospheric river brought snow punctuated with rain crusts from the 12-14th. Another 20 inches accumulated with cooler temperatures through the end of the week. On Wednesday, Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Patrol triggered numerous large to very large wind slab avalanches on N-E slopes between 6000-7000 ft. Warm temperatures and filtered sun later in the week drove some wet loose avalanches.

 

Regions covered