Northwest Avalanche Center

Today is GiveBIG, and we're so grateful to have this community behind us. 💙 Every winter, hundreds of thousands of backcountry travelers check our forecasts before heading into the mountains, and that information is free because people like you make it possible. Your gift today funds daily forecasts, 53 real-time weather stations, education programs, and the team that makes it all happen. If NWAC has ever helped you make decisions in the mountains, today's the day to give back. 🔗 Link to donate in bio #GiveBIG #NWAC

Another impactful season, made possible by this community 🤍 As winter comes to a close, we’re reflecting on what we accomplished together. From education and outreach programs to daily forecasting and the continued growth of the AvyApp, NWAC’s work continues to expand its reach. ❄️ 1,256 forecasts issued across 134 forecast days ❄️ 317 forecaster field days ❄️ More than 752,000 words written for the forecast - the equivalent of 30 Shakespearean plays! 🎭 ❄️ 519,000 website users and 28,000 unique app users ❄️ The AvyApp now includes 16 U.S. avalanche centers Behind every forecast, class, observation, and field day is a community that makes this work possible. Thank you for being part of this network of supporters, educators, volunteers, and backcountry users. Your support helps keep avalanche information, education, and forecasting accessible to the community. #NWAC

From our nonprofit team to our forecasters out in the field, all of us at NWAC are so thankful for the community that makes this work possible. Your support powers everything we do. From daily forecasts to education and outreach programs – none of it would be possible without this community showing up year after year. Today is the LAST DAY to support our Spring Fund Drive. If you’ve been meaning to give, now’s the time. ❄️ Help us keep this work going. Link in bio to donate! #NWAC

It wasn’t the season we imagined – with atmospheric rivers, a below-average snowpack, unpredictable conditions, and the loss of beloved members of our backcountry community. But through it all, one thing never wavered: our incredible community. ❄️ 1,500+ volunteer hours ❄️ 174 education programs held ❄️ 3,400+ backcountry users reached through Trailhead Outreach ❄️ 3,000+ NWAC members showing up in support ❄️ Daily forecasts published, every single day from December through April With just 3 days left in our Spring Fund Drive, we’re $20,000 away from our $40,000 goal – funding a brand new NWAC website designed to make forecasts and education resources more accessible for backcountry users in the PNW. If this community, these forecasts, or these education programs are meaningful to you, we'd love your support. Link to support in bio! #NWAC 📸 @joedellaporta

The AvyApp. Built by this community, for this community. Launched in 2023, AvyApp brings together the tools you rely on – avalanche forecasts, weather station data, and observations – all in one streamlined place for planning your day in the backcountry. Built in partnership with other avalanche centers, it’s just the beginning of what’s possible. And here’s the thing: Avy was funded 100% by individual donations to NWAC. Every download, every forecast you check, it’s all powered by this community. As part of our Spring Fund Drive, your support helps us keep building tools like this. Free, accessible, and built for you. 🔗 Help us continue to build the future of avalanche forecasting. Donate today with the link in bio. #NWAC

50 years ago, Mark and Rich began with a question: What information would we want if we were heading into the backcountry? What started with our NWAC founders building forecasts from the ground up is now a system reaching thousands of backcountry users every day. Today, NWAC forecasts are accessible on your phone via the AvyApp and on the NWAC website. We’re using technology that Mark and Rich could only imagine when they wrote their first avalanche forecast in 1975. A lot has changed in 50 years, but our mission remains the same: give people the information they need to make good decisions in the mountains. Help us carry this work forward → donate at the link in our bio #NWAC

4/18/26: Pro Observation: West South: White Pass: Dallas Glass There’s quite a bit of snow in the mountains from last week. While northerly aspects started off cold and dry, that changed quickly as warm temperatures and sunshine turned the surface wet and sticky. Even, high north facing slopes couldn’t withstand the heat. Rollerballs and wet loose slides abound! @clems_enumclaw_powersports @outdoorresearch

Big things are coming! The new NWAC website isn’t just a redesign. Built with avalanche centers across the country to create a more unified, user-friendly forecast experience, the new platform will include: - Shared, global content across all centers - Location-based events to find courses near you - A reimagined forecast experience - Future integrated data for a more personalized user experience A big step toward more accessible, consistent avalanche info for everyone in the backcountry. 🔗Link in bio to support this work before the season wraps - every contribution helps bring it to life! Photo by @rileyseebeck #NWAC

4/16/26: Pro Observation: Snoqualmie Pass: Dallas Glass More than 2 feet of fresh snow really changed the look and feel of the mountains this week. It also changed how we approached our terrain selection during this dynamic spring weather. Coverage is still thin. While the soft snow is fun, it buried many of the rocks and trees that were easy to spot before the storm. @clems_enumclaw_powersports @outdoorresearch

4/16/26: Pro Observation: West Central: Irene Henninger This fickle spring weather dropped nearly 2 feet of snow in just a few days. Today was classic spring—one minute I felt like I was inside a snow globe, the next I was under deep blue skies ready to shed layers. I spent the day searching for any indicators of slab avalanches, testing a variety of slopes. Overall, conditions were well behaved. I only triggered rollerballs on sunny aspects, and small loose dry sluffs in shaded areas where the surface snow stayed light and dry. The base of the new snow came in a bit moist, and it’s bonding well to the crust underneath. Conditions shifted fast—cold and dry in the morning, turning moist on lower elevations and sun-exposed slopes by afternoon. That’s spring for you… always keeping you on your toes. And just because we’re closing things down on April 19 doesn’t mean avalanche season is over. Stay sharp out there! Read the forecast and find out more about the observation at nwac.us or the AvyApp. Learn more about the app at @avyforecast Have fun out there, stay safe, and have a great summer! @clems_enumclaw_powersports @outdoorresearch

What an incredible night! Thank you for joining us to celebrate 50 years of NWAC. It meant the world to have you there. As we reflect on half a century of this work, one thing is clearer than ever: none of it would be possible without this community showing up year after year with so much heart. The laughter, the conversations, the connections – we’re reminded why this work matters. As we look ahead to the next 50, our Spring Fund Drive is happening this week. If NWAC has been part of your story, we’d be grateful for your support in keeping forecasts free, accessible, and community-powered. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of this. 💙 🔗 Link in bio to support another 50 years of avalanche forecasts #NWAC

04/15/2026 / Pro Ob / East Central / Payton Schiff Wednesday was a dynamic day in the mountains with natural and triggered wind slab avalanches to observe. While avalanches are the most clear sign of instability and also sometimes the most interesting, there were plenty of other clear clues that kept me out of steep, exposed terrain today. That included heavily textured surfaces, actively blowing snow, and easy cracking in unsupported wind blown drifts. There was also a noticeable “slabby-ness” to wind effected snow that had my hackles raised immediately. This was exacerbated by sun breaks throughout the day that rapidly warmed and settled the new snow. Some wind slab avalanches picked up moistened snow on their way down, an interesting intersection of two very different avalanche problems. I also noticed increasing roller ball activity throughout the day. Final thoughts: you may have to work a little harder to access terrain and enough snow to recreate on but the season certainly ain’t over yet! Read the forecast at nwac.us or on the AvyApp. Learn more about the app @avyforecast @clems_enumclaw_powersports @outdoorresearch