Hazard rating is low for Douglas Island today despite getting up to 4-5 inches of new snow at upper elevations. Storm slab will be the primary concern today but due to the heavy wet new snow and the saturated snowpack below, it is not expected to be very reactive today. Spots to keep an eye on are steeper unsupported N facing slopes near ridgetops where more snow has accumulated due to snowfall and wind.
4-5 inches of new snow have accumulated on the upper elevations of Douglas bringing storm slab onto the radar, however this new snow appears to be bonding well to the saturated snowpack below it and should be stubborn to trigger and remain small in size.
It's not over till it's over, as we have had a much welcome return to some wintry conditions on Douglas Island this weekend. While mid to lower elevations still have a very thin to non existent snowpack things are still quite nice in the upper bowls and ridgetops. While the new snow we've received appears to be bonding well to the old snow surface it's important to still make good travel decisions, keep an eye out for instabilities, assess your chosen line, and be aware of secondary exposure. Some small isolated pockets of wind slab were reported yesterday near ridgetops and will be found on Northerly facing aspects.
