The Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC) is a weather forecasting center located in Seattle, Washington. Its twice daily forecasts are important for recreational and professional users of mountains and other rural areas in the Pacific Northwest.
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Mark Moore
Former director NWAC director Mark Moore gained notoriety for his rhyming weather forecasts. He released his final such forecast shortly before retiring in December, 2012:
So my wish is simple when the season is done. That no one has died, not even one.
Avalanche awareness
Director Moore summarized NWAC's mission as "we try to promote safe use of the mountains in the wintertime". As part of this mission, it issues warnings when there are conditions that increase the risk of avalanches. For example, NWAC had issued an avalanche advisory on the day of the 2012 Tunnel Creek avalanche, which all of the involved freeskiers had read and disregarded before starting down the mountain.