The Northwest Avalanche Center has issued its fourth consecutive daily avalanche warning for Mount Hood.

The warning, in effect through 6 p.m. Friday, warns backcountry travelers about high avalanche danger below, near and above the treeline. The Hood area has been hit with heavy snow and irksome rain this week, causing dangerous conditions.

"A complex weather system impacting the area Thursday through Friday morning will stress the recent deep snowfall received over the last week and potentially produce large and destructive avalanches," the avalanche center said in its warning, which also applies to the Olympics and east and west slopes of the Washington Cascades.

Snow slides have killed three people in Washington state since Christmas, the most recent this past weekend when a snowmobiler died near Cle Elum.

More storms generally mean more avalanches, and experts urge backcountry enthusiasts to take an avalanche education course, get the proper safety gear and review the forecast and avalanche conditions.

The National Weather Service doesn't expect any rain to fall at Timberline Lodge until at least Sunday night. The ski area will see little weekend snow accumulation, according to its forecast.

The weather service says Mt. Hood Meadows will be hit with rain showers, then rain that may mix with snow showers, overnight Thursday. Forecasters expect more of the rain-snow mix to fall Saturday, as well.

A chance of rain returns at Meadows on Sunday night. The weather service doesn't expect any notable weekend snow accumulation at the resort.

The avalanche warning doesn't apply to developed ski areas where patrollers mitigate avalanche risk, such as Timberline Ski Area, Meadows and Mt. Hood Skibowl.

-- Jim Ryan

jryan@oregonian.com

503-221-8005; @Jimryan015