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                  Summary Avalanche Forecast for Mt Hood area



   Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington



   1125 AM PST Tue Feb 28 2012



   This forecast applies to back country avalanche terrain below 7000 feet

   and does not apply to developed ski areas or highways.



Avalanche Forecast



                                Mt Hood Area-



   Tuesday and Tuesday night: Considerable avalanche danger on lee slopes

   above 5000 feet and moderate elsewhere gradually increasing Tuesday and

   further increasing Tuesday night, becoming high on lee slopes above

   6000 feet and increasing considerable below.



   Wednesday and Wednesday night: High avalanche danger on lee slopes

   above 6000 feet and considerable elsewhere slightly increasing

   Wednesday and becoming high on lee slopes above 5000 feet and

   considerable below. Danger slightly decreasing late Wednesday.



Snowpack Synopsis



   Another strong storm cycle began early Friday and continued for most of

   Saturday. This brought moderate to heavy snowfall amounts to the Mt

   Hood area. Along with cooling temperatures and strong south to

   southwest crest level winds, the recent storm and heavy wind loading

   produced another significant avalanche cycle over the past few days,

   with many natural or triggered slab releases. While most recent slide

   activity involved mainly newer storm snow layers, a potential still

   exists for isolated larger slides reaching more deeply buried

   weaknesses above last Tuesday's crust region.



   Decreasing showers and winds with some clearing on Sunday were followed

   by mostly fair skies and some increase in southeast ridgetop winds.

   This weather resulted in weak surface snow layers as well as further

   wind slab formation on northwest and north exposures. While the brief

   break from storm activity on Monday helped to briefly decrease the

   danger...a considerable danger continues in most steeper wind loaded

   terrain.



Tuesday and Tuesday night



   The current snow surface is very suceptible to wind transport as well

   as very fragile when considering new snow loading by winds. As a

   result, increasing ridgetop and pass winds on Tuesday should produce a

   gradual danger increase on any steeper terrain receiving wind

   transport. With strong winds, and moderate snowfall spreading over most

   areas Tuesday afternoon and night, this weather should produce a

   further danger increase thru gradually thickening and more sensitive

   wind deposits on lee terrain.



Wednesday and Wednesday night



   Moderate to heavy snowfall and moderate to locally strong and shifting

   winds are expected for most of Wednesday at low freezing levels. This

   should further thicken existing slabs and spread progressively thicker

   and new, unstable slabs onto a variety of lee exposures, where

   increasingly dangerous avalanche conditions are likely. Resulting wind

   slabs or cornices should be very suceptible to human triggers in most

   higher elevation lee terrain on Wednesday, along with some natural

   slide activity as well. As a result, back country travel in avalanche

   terrain is not recommended Wednesday.



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   NWAC weather data and forecasts are also available by calling

   206-526-6677 for Washington, 503-808-2400 for the Mt Hood area, or by

   visiting our Web site at www.nwac.us.

   Moore/Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Seattle Washington



References



   1. http://www.nwac.us/