Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Thu
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 4 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

A few inches of new snow accompanied by increasing southeast winds will create shallow wind slabs that you will need to navigate around at mid and upper elevations.  You may find these wind drifted slabs forming in unusual locations such as west facing slopes due to the east winds.  Look for wind textured surfaces, pillow-like slabs of snow,  and sharp cornices forming to help you identify wind loaded areas. 

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Another round of light precipitation (.25 swe) accompanied by increasing SE winds will create shallow wind slabs at mid and upper elevations. Due to the east winds associated with this front, you may find wind slabs forming in unusual locations such as on west facing slopes, in-addition to the normal locations such as below cornices, on the east side of ridges, and on steep open slopes in the alpine.  In some specific areas  near treeline these slabs may bond poorly to the old snow surface due to surface hoar and near-surface facets developing over the past few days. 

    Look and feel for firm over soft layering, hollow sounding snow, and cracks shooting out from your feet. Use visual clues such as looking for wind textured snow or sharp conices forming to help you identify potentially wind loaded terrain. 

    (12/30/2022)

    Use visual clues to help you identify wind loaded slopes. In this case, cornices are a great indicator of a wind drifted slope beneath. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

The 2-3 inches of new snow we received helped improve riding conditions at mid and upper elevations.  Below treeline conditions remain rough and scratchy.  Hopefully with a few more forecasted inches we’ll be back to good winter travel again.  

As new snow continues to trickle in - it will be important to track what this new snow is falling on. Some folks have been finding surface hoar living in specific areas, such as sheltered areas from the wind with minimal canopy.  On Tuesday I observed weak faceted snow above and below the 12/30 rain crust on a NE aspect at 6000 ft.  Going forward, this interface will be worth tracking as we slowly start building a slab on top. 

Thanks for all the recent observations! Avalanche forecasting is a community project, so having recent observations from the public is a huge part of the process and helps make for a better forecast.  Keep them coming!

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