SUNRISE, Wash. — If you're headed out to the mountains this weekend, be aware of the potential for avalanches amid a substantial warm-up in temperatures, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC).
There have already been several large avalanches in the mountains this week as temperatures rose from highs in the 50s to highs near 80 degrees, according to NWAC.
This comes after weeks of unseasonably low temperatures and snowstorms in the mountains, which brought feet of new snow to higher elevations, "particularly the southern volcanoes," the agency said in a post on Instagram. In particular, danger is high on Mount Rainier, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams and Mount Hood.
People who decide to head out to the mountains this weekend could reduce their risks by traveling early, but avalanche danger still remains.
"Flexibility and the willingness to turn around could be two of the best tools you can bring with you this weekend," NWAC said.
KING 5's Rich Marriott said the summer-like weather expected this weekend could create a false sense of security, which has the potential to become dangerous.
"The sunshine and warm temperatures may make hikers and late-season skiers forget the risk of spring avalanches and take chances they wouldn’t in the winter," Marriott said. "I’ve seen this lead to serious and even fatal accidents in the past. If you have to cross avalanche terrain, follow the winter rules: cross exposed terrain quickly – one at a time – and watch each person as they cross."
Marriott said that exact situation happened to him when he was still a forecaster for NWAC.
"We were out for a spring tour near Stevens Pass and stopped below a steep gully that led down from the ridgeline without thinking about it," Marriott said. "We probably spent five to 10 minutes there and then moved on. A short time later we heard a crashing sound and looked back to where we had stopped as several car-size blocks of a cornice rocketed right through the place we had been standing."