Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Highlights

Even with Low Danger, there are a few things to keep on your radar Wednesday.  Wind slabs will be hard to trigger, but continue to check the bond between the recent snow and the underlying crust before jumping onto steep lee slopes.  And don't let a small wet loose avalanche ruin your day anywhere you find wet snow near a terrain trap.  

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Unlikely
    Size
    1–1.5

    It's been several days since the weekend storm and our last wind and snow event.  Wind slabs are trending towards unlikely, but you should still keep them in mind as you travel around.   Wind-affected snow will be easy to identify at upper elevations but if there's a sweet spot where you could trigger a small wind slab avalanche, it may be on lee slopes around 6000'/near treeline where about a 1' of snow sits above the 12/7 crust.  Use small test slopes to test the bond of the recent storm snow to the underlying crust before stepping out into bigger terrain.   

    (12/9/2024)

    Signs of recent wind-affected snow following the weekend storm were easy to find on Mt Hood Monday (rippled, textured snow, drifts behind trees and corniced ridgelines).  

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

NWAC forecaster Joe Dellaporta took a closer look at conditions today along Pea Gravel Ridge.  The 12/7 crust (the closest crust to the surface in sheltered terrain) has about 6-8" of recent snow on top of it and was firmer above 5500'.  In wind-loaded terrain around 6000' (NE aspects), snowpack tests indicated the potential for propagation just above the crust.  We'll have to watch this interface as we add more snow over the coming days and weeks.   With great visibility, no natural or human-triggered avalanches were observed.  On steep sunny southerly aspects, you could push a few inches of wet snow above the 12/7 crust and potentially initiate a small wet loose avalanche - something to consider around terrain traps on Wednesday.  Small avalanches still pose a hazard in the wrong terrain.  The upper mountain continues to show signs of the weekend's strong winds.  At upper elevations some westerly aspects have been stripped of snow and you'll find firmer wind pressed snow and/or a sun crust on sunny aspects with colder, drier snow on shady aspects at all elevations. 

While the snowpack is doing well for mid-December at mid and upper elevations, the situation is quite different at lower elevations.  Last weekend's storm started warm and pushed rain well into the alpine before ending on snowy note.  The lower elevation snowpack took a step backwards following the storm.  If you're starting down low, be prepared for the early season travel challenges that come with low snow; open creeks, downed logs, stumps, rocks, etc.  

If you get out, we'd love to know what you see. You can submit an observation here!

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