Avalanche forecast

Mt Hood

Northwest Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Mon
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
2 · Moderate
Below
2 · Moderate
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Highlights

The likelihood of wet loose avalanches will decrease at upper elevations Sunday as cooler and windier conditions develop. Continue to use caution at lower and mid-elevations where you find punchy, wet snow.  Stay off of very steep or extreme terrain features where a small avalanche could cause injury. 

Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    We have the same avalanche problem for Sunday that we've had for the last few days - wet loose - but in a slightly different flavor to close out the weekend.  Instead of sunshine, you'll see increasing clouds, winds, and eventually showers on Sunday.  This should help keep the wet loose avalanche problem in check at upper elevations. 

    Following another mild night and the possibility for rain below treeline in the afternoon, wet loose avalanches should remain in play near and below treeline and on all aspects. While you may see plenty of evidence of roller balls or small wet loose avalanches on steep slopes from Saturday, you're unlikely to see new natural wet loose avalanches as a warning sign.  You'll want to avoid extreme terrain features and terrain traps anywhere you find wet punchy snow.  Where those 2 pieces overlap, even a small slide can do real damage.  

    You may find wet loose avalanches stubborn to trigger and sluggish at first, but wherever you find wet punchy snow, you don't want to be taken for a ride on very steep slopes above terrain traps like cliffs or steep trees.

    Photo: Matt Primomo

Avalanche Discussion

On a beautiful sunny Saturday, Mt Hood Meadows reported small wet loose avalanches and punchy snow on sunny slopes at mid and lower elevations.  On Friday, forecaster Joe Dellaporta found widespread firm, wind-textured snow (chalky snow, sastrugi) above treeline on the south side of the mountain.  While a SE breeze was drifting small amounts of new snow at upper elevations, older wind slabs formed earlier in the week were unlikely to trigger and no new avalanches were observed.  With the switch to E-SE winds midweek, cornices have been trimmed back and are not particularly large in many areas.  That said, we have entered a period of warmer weather, so make sure to give cornices a wide berth while traveling along ridgelines and limit your time below slopes with larger overhanging cornices.

Earlier in the week, a large and very large hard slab avalanche (see photos) released above treeline (both natural and triggered by explosives) following a storm cycle with strong westerly winds. 

If you get out let us know what you see by submitting an observation!

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