A weak frontal boundary stalled along the Columbia River gorge will become reinvigorated as an upper-level trough pushes the frontal boundary inland overnight. Precipitation will spread northward overnight along both sides of the Cascade crest, with the heaviest precipitation along the south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood. More significant precipitation will finally reach the northern Cascades around sunrise as the frontal boundary pushes east of the Cascades mid-morning. The frontal passage will usher in a period of post-frontal showers and strong W-SW winds across the area for the rest of the day. Afternoon showers will be heaviest from roughly the Mt. Loop Highway and north. Snow levels will generally range from 2000-3500'.
The fun won't stop in this pattern as a new developing frontal wave slams into the south Washington Cascades and the Mt Hood area Saturday night while lighter showers continue for areas further north overnight. There's increased confidence that the Mt Hood area will see a warming trend Saturday night (snow levels may push near or above 5000') along with extreme SW winds and heavy precipitation. It's unclear how far north the axis of heavy precipitation and extreme winds extend into the south/central WA Cascades. The Mt Hood area and possibly the southern WA Cascades will likely see a few feet of snow at mid and upper elevations by the end of the weekend.
The forecast evolution uncertainty continues into Sunday. The Olympics and WA Cascades will likely be in a cool showery pattern common for spring-time. The Mt Hood area looks to be on the northern fringe of continued heavier precipitation and strong to extreme winds.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
Use dropdown to select your zone
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline winds increasing overnight.
Saturday
Moderate rain and snow showers. Strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Moderate rain and snow showers. Strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing around midnight and becoming light to moderate overnight. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to moderate E and SE Pass and ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Strong ridgeline W winds, moderate at Pass level.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Moderate E and SE Pass and ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Strong ridgeline W winds, moderate at Pass level.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline winds increasing overnight.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing after midnight. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline winds increasing overnight.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with moderate rain and snow developing in the evening. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Strong to occasionally extreme ridgeline winds.
Issued: 2:39 PM PDT Friday, March 14, 2025
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
Saturday
Saturday Night
Sunday
5 pm - 5 am
5 am - 5 pm
5 pm - 5 am
5 am - 5 pm
Hurricane Ridge
LT 0.25
0.50
LT 0.25
LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area
LT 0.10
0.50 - 0.75
0.50
0.25
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
LT 0.10
0.75
0.25
0.25
Stevens Pass
LT 0.10
0.50 - 0.75
0.25
LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass
LT 0.25
0.75
0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.25
Crystal Mt
0.25 - 0.50
0.25 - 0.50
0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.25
Paradise
0.50
0.75 -1.00
0.50 - 0.75
0.25
White Pass
0.25
0.50 - 0.75
0.50
0.25
Washington Pass
LT 0.10
0.25
LT 0.10
LT 0.10
Mission Ridge
LT 0.10
LT 0.25
LT 0.25
LT 0.10
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
LT 0.10
0.50
0.25
LT 0.10
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
0.25
0.50
0.50
LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows
0.75 -1.00
0.75 -1.00
1.00
0.50
Timberline
1.00
0.75 -1.00
1.00
0.50
Hurricane Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.25
Saturday
0.50
Saturday Night
LT 0.25
Sunday
LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0.50 - 0.75
Saturday Night
0.50
Sunday
0.25
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0.75
Saturday Night
0.25
Sunday
0.25
Stevens Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0.50 - 0.75
Saturday Night
0.25
Sunday
LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.25
Saturday
0.75
Saturday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Sunday
LT 0.25
Crystal Mt
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Saturday
0.25 - 0.50
Saturday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Sunday
LT 0.25
Paradise
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0.50
Saturday
0.75 -1.00
Saturday Night
0.50 - 0.75
Sunday
0.25
White Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0.25
Saturday
0.50 - 0.75
Saturday Night
0.50
Sunday
0.25
Washington Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0.25
Saturday Night
LT 0.10
Sunday
LT 0.10
Mission Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
LT 0.25
Saturday Night
LT 0.25
Sunday
LT 0.10
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0.50
Saturday Night
0.25
Sunday
LT 0.10
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0.25
Saturday
0.50
Saturday Night
0.50
Sunday
LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0.75 -1.00
Saturday
0.75 -1.00
Saturday Night
1.00
Sunday
0.50
Timberline
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
1.00
Saturday
0.75 -1.00
Saturday Night
1.00
Sunday
0.50
Issued: 2:39 PM PDT Friday, March 14, 2025
Snow Level (ft)
Friday
Evening*
Friday
Night*
Saturday
Morning
Saturday
Afternoon
Saturday
Evening
Saturday
Night
Sunday
Morning
Sunday
Afternoon
Olympics
3000'
2500'
2500'
2500'
2500'
2000'
2000'
2500'
West North
2500'
2000'
2500'
2500'
2500'
2000'
2000'
2500'
West Central
3000'
2000'
2500'
2500'
2500'
2000'
2500'
3000'
West South
3000'
2500'
3000'
3000'
3000'
3000'
3000'
3000'
Stevens Pass
2500'
1500'
2500'
3000'
2500'
2000'
2500'
3000'
Snoqualmie Pass
2500'
1500'
2500'
3000'
2500'
2000'
2500'
3000'
East North
2000'
1500'
2500'
3500'
2500'
2000'
2500'
4000'
East Central
2500'
1500'
2500'
3500'
2500'
2000'
2500'
4000'
East South
3000'
2000'
3000'
3500'
3000'
3000'
3500'
4000'
Mt. Hood
3500'
3000'
3000'
3500'
4000'
5000'
3500'
4000'
Olympics
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
3000'
Friday
Night*
2500'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2500'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2000'
Sunday
Afternoon
2500'
West North
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
2500'
Friday
Night*
2000'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2500'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2000'
Sunday
Afternoon
2500'
West Central
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
3000'
Friday
Night*
2000'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2500'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2500'
Sunday
Afternoon
3000'
West South
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
3000'
Friday
Night*
2500'
Saturday
Morning
3000'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
Saturday
Evening
3000'
Saturday
Night
3000'
Sunday
Morning
3000'
Sunday
Afternoon
3000'
Stevens Pass
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
2500'
Friday
Night*
1500'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2500'
Sunday
Afternoon
3000'
Snoqualmie Pass
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
2500'
Friday
Night*
1500'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2500'
Sunday
Afternoon
3000'
East North
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
2000'
Friday
Night*
1500'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3500'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2500'
Sunday
Afternoon
4000'
East Central
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
2500'
Friday
Night*
1500'
Saturday
Morning
2500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3500'
Saturday
Evening
2500'
Saturday
Night
2000'
Sunday
Morning
2500'
Sunday
Afternoon
4000'
East South
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
3000'
Friday
Night*
2000'
Saturday
Morning
3000'
Saturday
Afternoon
3500'
Saturday
Evening
3000'
Saturday
Night
3000'
Sunday
Morning
3500'
Sunday
Afternoon
4000'
Mt. Hood
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
3500'
Friday
Night*
3000'
Saturday
Morning
3000'
Saturday
Afternoon
3500'
Saturday
Evening
4000'
Saturday
Night
5000'
Sunday
Morning
3500'
Sunday
Afternoon
4000'
Issued: 2:39 PM PDT Friday, March 14, 2025
5000' Temperatures (°F)
Friday
Night
Saturday
Max / Min
Max / Min
Olympics
28 / 25
28 / 25
West North
28 / 23
28 / 24
West Central
25 / 24
28 / 24
West South
28 / 25
29 / 26
Stevens Pass
27 / 24
28 / 23
Snoqualmie Pass
27 / 24
28 / 24
East North
23 / 18
29 / 20
East Central
25 / 21
29 / 23
East South
27 / 24
29 / 24
Mt. Hood
30 / 26
28 / 24
Olympics
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
28 / 25
Saturday
28 / 25
West North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
28 / 23
Saturday
28 / 24
West Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
25 / 24
Saturday
28 / 24
West South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
28 / 25
Saturday
29 / 26
Stevens Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
27 / 24
Saturday
28 / 23
Snoqualmie Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
27 / 24
Saturday
28 / 24
East North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
23 / 18
Saturday
29 / 20
East Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
25 / 21
Saturday
29 / 23
East South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
27 / 24
Saturday
29 / 24
Mt. Hood
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
30 / 26
Saturday
28 / 24
Issued: 2:39 PM PDT Friday, March 14, 2025
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
Friday
Night
Saturday
Morning
Saturday
Afternoon
Olympics
SE 5-15
S 10-20
SW 15-25
SW 15-25
West North
SE 5-15
S 10-20
S 20-30
SW 15-25
West Central
SE 5-15
S 10-20
SSW 20-30
SW 20-30
West South
SSE 10-20
SSE 15-25
SW 30-40
SW 25-35
Stevens Pass
SE 5-15
SE 5-15
SW 20-30
WSW 20-30
Snoqualmie Pass
SE 10-20
SE 10-20
SW 25-35
WSW 25-35
East North
SSE 5-15
S 5-15
S 15-25
WSW 20-30
East Central
SSE 5-15
SSE 10-20
SW 20-30
WSW 20-30
East South
S 5-15
S 10-20
WSW 20-30
WSW 20-30
Mt. Hood
SW 15-25
SW 25-35
WSW 35-50
WSW 30-40
Olympics
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
5-15
Friday
Night
S
10-20
Saturday
Morning
SW
15-25
Saturday
Afternoon
SW
15-25
West North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
5-15
Friday
Night
S
10-20
Saturday
Morning
S
20-30
Saturday
Afternoon
SW
15-25
West Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
5-15
Friday
Night
S
10-20
Saturday
Morning
SSW
20-30
Saturday
Afternoon
SW
20-30
West South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SSE
10-20
Friday
Night
SSE
15-25
Saturday
Morning
SW
30-40
Saturday
Afternoon
SW
25-35
Stevens Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
5-15
Friday
Night
SE
5-15
Saturday
Morning
SW
20-30
Saturday
Afternoon
WSW
20-30
Snoqualmie Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
10-20
Friday
Night
SE
10-20
Saturday
Morning
SW
25-35
Saturday
Afternoon
WSW
25-35
East North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SSE
5-15
Friday
Night
S
5-15
Saturday
Morning
S
15-25
Saturday
Afternoon
WSW
20-30
East Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SSE
5-15
Friday
Night
SSE
10-20
Saturday
Morning
SW
20-30
Saturday
Afternoon
WSW
20-30
East South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
S
5-15
Friday
Night
S
10-20
Saturday
Morning
WSW
20-30
Saturday
Afternoon
WSW
20-30
Mt. Hood
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SW
15-25
Friday
Night
SW
25-35
Saturday
Morning
WSW
35-50
Saturday
Afternoon
WSW
30-40
Issued: 2:39 PM PDT Friday, March 14, 2025
Extended Weather Synopsis
The weather pattern will ease up a bit as we head into next week. A showery cool pattern will continue Monday and Tuesday with a trace to a few inches of snow possible each day.
The NWAC program is administered by the USDA-Forest Service and operates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Seattle. NWAC services are made possible by important collaboration and support from a wide variety of federal, state and private cooperators.
The 5000’ temperature forecast does not imply a trend over the 12 hr period and only represents the max and min temperatures within a 12 hr period in the zone. The 6-hr snow level forecast, the forecast discussion, and weather forecast sections may add detail regarding temperature trends.
The snow level forecast represents the general snow level over a 6 hr time period. Freezing levels are forecast when precipitation is not expected.
*Easterly or offshore flow is highlighted with an asterisk when we expect relatively cool east winds in the major Cascade Passes. Easterly flow will often lead to temperature inversions and is a key variable for forecasting precipitation type in the Cascade Passes. Strong easterly flow events can affect terrain on a more regional scale.
Ridgeline winds are the average wind speed and direction over a 6 hr time period.
The wind forecast represents an elevation range instead of a single elevation slice. The elevation range overlaps with the near and above treeline elevation bands in the avalanche forecast and differs per zone.
Wind direction indicates the direction the wind originates or comes from on the 16-point compass rose.
Water Equivalent (WE) is the liquid water equivalent of all precipitation types; rain, snow, ice pellets, etc., forecast to the hundredth of an inch at specific locations. To use WE as a proxy for snowfall amounts, start with a snow to water ratio of 10:1 (10 inches of snow = 1 inch WE). Temperatures at or near freezing will generally have a lower ratio (heavy wet snow) and very cold temperatures can have a much higher ratio (dry fluffy snow).