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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Out of date — this forecast expired 8 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Due to powerful and irregular wind, look for unstable wind transported snow across a wide swath of terrain on Wednesday. There will be plenty of clues to guide you such as blowing snow, uneven snow surfaces, and a change to denser-feeling snow underneath your equipment. These, as well as shooting cracks and recent avalanches, are clear signs to stick to lower angle, sheltered terrain.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

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

    Wind is the name of the game on Wednesday. A few inches overnight, combined with snow already available for transport, will build fairly deep slabs in exposed terrain by Wednesday morning. Additionally, this is an east-flow storm, which will create unusual loading patterns. It will be easy to identify signs of wind transport, such as textured snow surfaces and cornice development. While wind slabs generally form just below ridgelines and along gully walls, anticipate slabs forming lower down on slopes than usual. Recent slab avalanches, long shooting cracks from your equipment, and collapsing are all clear signs to stick to sheltered terrain. 

    (12/18/2025)

    A small intentionally triggered wind slab in the forecast area. Be on the lookout for slab formation not only in exposed terrain like this, but in more abnormal locations as well. 

    Photo: Joe Dellaporta

Avalanche Discussion

Hopefully Santa's reindeer have been training all year long because they're in for some beastly wind to fly through on Wednesday. This storm pattern from the east isn't delivering very substantial snow totals, but keep in mind that wind-transported snow can create slabs that are more than twice as deep. Because of this abnormal direction, you should also be cognizant of traveling on slopes that are "usually" not wind-loaded.

A noteworthy complicating factor in this system is the warming trend. Freezing levels will peak around 7000 ft on Wednesday morning before slowly dropping down to 5000 ft by the evening. Any lingering precipitation on Wednesday could shift to rain up to the aforementioned elevations. We expect the wind and low precipitation totals to hold off any significant weakening of the snow, but keep this on your radar as you travel around. If you notice that you're beginning to sink through wet, mushy snow, back off of steep slopes and keep a heads up for globs of snow falling from above.

The snowpack has finally built up enough for ski resorts to open and backcountry travel to expand. There is still some work to do, however, so come with an early-season mindset. The chance of hitting a rock, stump, or an open creek is high in lower and middle elevation terrain and on higher elevation aspects stripped of snow. These hazards can appreciably increase the consequences of getting caught in even a small avalanche.

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