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Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 27th, 2016–Jan 28th, 2016

Alpine
Natural avalanches possible, human triggered probable.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.

Regions

Mt Hood.

At Mt Hood the main problem should continue to be loose wet avalanches on Thursday. Watch for wet surface snow deeper than a few inches and pinwheels or roller balls that usually precede loose wet avalanches.

Detailed Forecast

Rain changing to snow during the day Thursday should cause the main avalanche problem to be loose-wet avalanches early Thursday, before cooling takes place later in the day. Watch for wet surface snow deeper than a few inches and pinwheels or roller balls that usually precede loose wet avalanches. 

Previous wind slab in the mainly above treeline may be loaded and weakened by rain or wet snow. This avalanche problem may become more unlikely, but watch for signs of previous firmer transported snow mainly on northwest to southeast aspects.

 

Snowpack Discussion

A warm front last Thursday caused heavy rain on the volcanoes but with lighter rain at Mt Hood. This caused an avalanche cycle and consolidation along the Cascade west slopes and Mt Hood.

This was followed by cooler weather and some snow. NWAC stations at Mt Hood indicate about 6-9 inches for the 2 days ending Sunday morning.

The Mt Hood Meadows pro patrol Sunday near tree line reported isolated 2-6 inch storm slabs released by ski cuts on lee N-NE slopes. A stable surface crust was reported below tree line.

The Mt Hood Meadows pro patrol Monday reported some roller balls on solar slopes but no avalanches. There was about 6-8 inches of loose snow on non solar slopes in the near and above treeline.

Very mild above freezing weather Wednesday allowed for wet surface snow conditions in most areas.

Problems

Loose Wet

Loose Wet avalanches are the release of wet unconsolidated snow or slush. These avalanches typically occur within layers of wet snow near the surface of the snowpack, but they may quickly gouge into lower snowpack layers. Like Loose Dry Avalanches, they start at a point and entrain snow as they move downhill, forming a fan-shaped avalanche. Other names for loose-wet avalanches include point-release avalanches or sluffs. Loose Wet avalanches can trigger slab avalanches that break into deeper snow layers.

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.