Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

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

Clearing skies and warming temperatures following a spring storm will create dynamic avalanche conditions on Wednesday. Pay close attention to your timing and don’t linger on big slopes that are heating up, especially if you notice wet, unsupportable snow under your feet or skis. As you climb into exposed terrain, steer around steep terrain features that appear freshly wind loaded. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Due to the warm spring-time temperatures, expect these slabs to be bigger and more widespread as you climb above 6000 ft on Wednesday. Loading will continue through the overnight hours, so expect these wind slabs to be most sensitive during the morning. These slabs will range from soft to hard and may vary in sensitivity based on elevation and what they formed over. 

    Use small test slopes and snowpack tests to help you gauge slab reactivity. Shooting cracks or drum-like surfaces are good reasons to head for less consequential terrain. Consider giving wind-loaded slopes over 35 degrees some time to settle out. 

    Cornices are likely quite large and will weaken with the warmer temperatures. Give these overhanging chunks of snow some extra space.

    Look for textured snow and dune-like slabs like this can help you identify wind-loaded terrain.

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

  • Loose Wet

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

    It won’t take much solar input and warming for snow to roll downhill on Wednesday. These wet loose avalanches could entrain the new snow accumulations and gouge into older wet snow layers from past days, which could make for some large wet avalanches in the canyons. These wet avalanches will start on more solar (SW-SE) aspects but may start peeling off more northerly slopes as the day heats up. 

    Pay close attention to your aspect, timing, and boot penetration to help you manage this warming-induced hazard. Move to more shaded or lower-angled  slopes once you notice rollerballs and pinwheels shedding. Deep boot penetrations are also tell-tale signs of a wet and weak snowpack.

    While wet loose avalanches will be the more widespread problem, I wouldn’t write off an isolated wet slab in bigger terrain. Wet slabs are notoriously difficult to forecast but are worth considering due to the consequences of these things. Your best mitigation strategy to deal with these wet avalanche concerns on Wednesday is to avoid large, steep slopes that are warming up or feel punchy and wet under your feet or skis. You’ll find safer riding or climbing on shaded slopes that are well-supported, and more shaded from the hot April sun.

    An example of the wet loose avalanches that could be triggered or occur naturally. 

    (4/5/2025) East Central Zone: Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Avalanche Discussion

As of 5 PM on Tuesday, weather stations around the zone have picked up 6-9 inches of new snow (.7-.8 inches of SWE). Precipitation, along with strong SW winds, is forecast to continue through the evening hours before a ridge starts to give way to calmer conditions. Wednesday is shaping up to be a pleasant day for mountain travel, but warming temperatures may create overlapping dry and wet snow avalanche problems, and make for a heads-up day around steep terrain. Carefully assess the snow you’re traveling on and watch out for warming-induced avalanche hazards on any aspect as the day progresses. Keep flexible with your plans and don’t be too committed to any one objective. 

Good weather windows often attract plenty of upper mountain use during the spring, but keep in mind that NWAC does not forecast above 8500 ft on Mt. Hood. Approach this upper mountain terrain with extra caution and complete your own snowpack assessments before recreating in steep terrain. The USFS Mt Hood Climbing Ranger page ( link here) is an excellent resource that can help you plan for upper mountain climbing or ski mountaineering. 

If you plan on traveling in the backcountry adjacent to the Mt Hood Meadows Permit Area, be sure to check their conditions page and uphill, boundary policies to stay updated on avalanche mitigation operations( link here). 

If you get out, we would love to hear from you. Submit a snowpack, weather, or avalanche observation here. 

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