Avalanche Forecast

A sharper shortwave will move north to south over the Northwest on Saturday. This will change flow from northwest to northeast and should cause light showers east of the crest Saturday with snow levels getting a little lower especially in the south Cascades.

But this should not significantly change snow conditions at Mt Hood. If there is more than an inch or two of new snow watch for possible new small shallow wind slab on lee slopes similar to the Washington zones west of the crest where there is new snow.

Due to the low snowpack, especially below treeline, watch for terrain hazards such as open creeks, partially covered rocks and vegetation.

A benign weather pattern with mild temperatures was seen in the Olympics and Cascades for about the 10 days through Wednesday. This caused thick surface crusts and more consolidation of the snow pack at Mt Hood.

A weak short wave moved over a temporarily flattened upper ridge on Thursday causing showers west of the crest. Northwest flow and possible weak convergence helped maintain showers west of the crest on Friday. But little of this snow made it south to Mt Hood.

The Meadows pro-patrol reports minor new snow on a firm thick surface crust Friday morning.

The mid and lower snowpack at Mt Hood snow consists of layers of stable consolidated rounded grains or melt forms and crusts from multiple warm periods this winter.