Avalanche forecast

Douglas Island

Coastal Alaska Avalanche Center
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Avalanche danger

Sun
Alpine
1 · Low
Treeline
1 · Low
Below
1 · Low
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Out of date — this forecast expired 5 months ago. You’re viewing past conditions, not the current bulletin.

Highlights

Hazard is low at all elevations. No recent avalanche activity has been observed or reported aside from wet loose point releases during sunny periods. Overall, the snowpack is generally locked up under multiple crusts with a couple inches of new snow atop. The one exception to that is North facing, isolated pockets, which held cold, dry snow that are now becoming upside down with wet heavy snow falling on top. These pockets may become reactive to triggering. 

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Avalanche problems

  • Loose Wet

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

    With temperatures near freezing, expect wet loose avalanche activity in mid- to low-elevation terrain.

Avalanche Discussion

A storm that rolled in on Monday (3/30) brought 3–5" of fresh snow to the region. This was followed by a return to high pressure, with sunny skies and warm temperatures. Powder Patch rose above freezing on both 4/1 and 4/2. A new storm arrived on Friday (4/3), bringing light precipitation, and a warming trend appears to be continuing as precipitation persists.

Recent snow has fallen on varibale old snow surfaces. On solar aspects, a ~5 cm sun crust had formed. These crusts are easy to find under the 1.5" of new snow, and will make for potentially varibale snow conditions. 

Rain and heavy snow have the potential to reactivate older weak layers in the snowpack, including the 3/6 melt-freeze crust that we have been monitoring. Widespread mountain shedding and wet loose avalanche activity have been observed on solar aspects throughout the week.

Regions covered