Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
2 · Moderate
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 years ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Expect increasing winds and thickening clouds Sunday ahead of a potent storm that will kick off another active weather week. Pay attention as you transition into wind-affected terrain. Steer around large upper elevation slopes greater than 35 degrees where you see wind redistributing cold, dry snow into fresh drifts.

Avalanche problems

  • Wind Slabs

    • Alpine
    • Treeline
    • Below treeline
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    2

    The recent storm snow is settling and stabilizing in sheltered areas. At upper elevations, the wind is easily blowing all the low-density snow around and forming fresh slabs in leeward terrain. Be especially careful on east-facing aspects above 6000ft. Use test slopes and hand pits to assess the snow as you travel. Look for evidence of recent wind loadings like textured snow surfaces, cornices, and fat pillowy drifts. You are most likely to trigger wind slabs on slopes below ridgelines, in gullies, and at the base of cliffs. If you find signs of unstable snow like cracking or recent avalanches, seek out lower angle terrain or slopes protected from the wind.

    (12/31/2021)

    Lots of wind-affected snow in the alpine and several wind slab avalanches reported NYE on the Palmer Snowfield. You can see the avalanche crowns filling back in with additional wind loading around Illumination Saddle.

    Photo: Taylor Jordan

Avalanche Discussion

Mt Hood received around 8ft of cold dry snow during a series of storms since the winter solstice. Snow Depth Climatology shows settled snow depths at Mt Hood Meadows and Timberline to be near 130% of normal for this time of year. It was certainly a December to remember with a cold, powder-filled end to 2021. The first week of the new year looks to keep the active pattern going, with heavy precipitation beginning Sunday night and very dangerous avalanche conditions likely developing by Monday. 

Observations from Saturday on the south and east sides of Mt Hood showed little evidence of recent natural avalanche activity. Mt Hood Meadows Ski Patrol triggered one large avalanche around 1ft deep with explosives, but otherwise, the only avalanches were minor dry loose sluffs in steep terrain.

A very large natural avalanche occurred on 12/23 on the Newton Clark Headwall. Find out more information in this REPORT in the NWAC Avalanche Occurrence Database. Although this avalanche is an outlier event, it should be on your mind if you venture high into the alpine where there is more uncertainty about deeper layers in the snowpack. 

With all the recent snow, watch out for tree wells and keep eyes on your partners. Learn more about deep snow safety HERE.

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