Avalanche forecasting mixes accumulated knowledge and new digital tools

A cycle of intense mountain snowstorms in late February and early March reversed what was looking to be a dire season for Washington ski areas and powderhounds. But for forecasters at the Northwest Avalanche Center, or NWAC, even 2 feet of fresh snow overnight is just another day at the office.  “Just because there’s snow and we’re more likely to have avalanches, it doesn’t mean that the forecasting process is necessarily harder,” said NWAC forecaster and Bellingham resident Le