Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Saturday & Saturday
A low pressure system travelling along a frontal boundary passed through Vancouver, BC early this morning. On Friday night precipitation started as snow at most locations and changed to rain. The Cascade Passes, specifically the top of Alpental and Stevens Pass picked up 6+ inches thanks to late-winter easterly flow locally suppressing snow levels in the central Cascade Passes through early Saturday morning before changing to rain. Rain had been particularly heavy for areas along the west slopes of the Cascades outside of the Cascade Passes including Mt. Rainier, Crystal and Mt. Baker. Mt. Baker picked up an amazing 0.51 inches of water (rain) in 1 hour Friday night!
The good news is that snow levels have begun to drop rapidly as a seasonally cool upper level trough quickly moves overhead this afternoon. Showers and the best chance for moderate post-frontal snow accumulations should be focused into the Mt. Baker area and in a Puget Sound Convergence Zone which will likely setup in Snohomish County affecting mainly the Stevens Pass area. There could be a few breaks of sun late this afternoon as the air mass is drying aloft.
Showers will taper off overnight. The west slopes of the Cascades and Olympics will keep more low level cloud cover and a chance of showers through Sunday morning. A clearing trend Sunday afternoon should bring about some welcome sunshine with cool snow/freezing levels. Dry weather should continue Sunday night.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Saturday |
Light to moderate rain and snow showers becoming mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Rapid cooling trend. |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. Colder. |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Partly to mostly clear. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Saturday Mid-day - Saturday Afternoon |
Light to moderate rain and snow showers becoming mostly cloudy and scattered rain and snow showers. Highest accumulations likely near Puget Sound Convergence zone and Mt. Baker area. Rapid cooling trend. |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. Colder. |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Partly to mostly clear. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Saturday Afternoon |
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers becoming mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. Rapid cooling trend. |
| Saturday Night |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. Colder. |
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Partly to mostly clear. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Saturday Mid-day - Saturday Afternoon |
Light to moderate rain and snow showers becoming mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. Colder. |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Partly to mostly clear. |
Issued: 2:44 PM PDT Saturday, March 18, 2017
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day | Snow Level | 3500' | 2500' | 5000' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 5500' |
| Saturday Afternoon | Snow Level | 2000' | 2000' | 3000' | ' | ' | 2500' | ' | 3500' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | Snow Level | 500' | 500' | 0' | ' | ' | 500' | ' | 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | Freezing Level | 2500' | 2500' | 3500' | ' | ' | 3000' | ' | 5000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 2500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 2500' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Mid-day |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 5000' |
* Easterly flow in the Cascade Passes can cause locally lower Snow or Freezing levels than areas further west.
Freezing Level is when no precipitation is forecast.
Precipitation Forecast
| Saturday | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 1.00 - 1.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Washington Pass | 0.50 - 0.75 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | 0.75 - 1.00 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0 - 1.00 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | 0.75 - 1.00 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | 0.75 - 1.00 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | 0 - 0.75 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.75 - 1.00 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | 0.75 - 1.00 | LT 0.10 |
LT = less than; WE or Water equivalent is the liquid water equivalent of melted snow in hundredths of inches. As a rough approximation 1 inch of snow = about .10 inches WE, or 10 inches of snow = about 1 inch WE.
Issued: 2:44 PM PDT Saturday, March 18, 2017
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 15 - 30 | W 15 - 30 | WSW 20 - 35 | --- - | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 10 - 20 | WSW 10 - 20 | WSW 15 - 25 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | --- - | E 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 10 - 20 | E 5 - 15 | ESE 10 - 20 | --- - | E 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 15 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 15 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 20 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | E 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 15 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 15 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 20 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday | E 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night | E 10 - 20 |
Directions above indicate the direction the wind blows from on the 16-point cardinal scale. These winds indicate "free" winds, or those winds in the atmosphere not influenced by terrain. Topographical effects may produce greater or lower wind speeds in certain locations as well as significant variations in direction.
Free Winds at 9000' (mph)
| Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 30 - 40 | WSW 35 - 45 | W 45 - 55 | --- - | WSW 55 - 65 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 25 - 35 | W 40 - 50 | W 35 - 45 | --- - | WSW 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | W 15 - 25 | W 20 - 30 | W 20 - 30 | --- - | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 10 - 20 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 30 - 40 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Sunday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 35 - 45 |
| Saturday Night | W 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 45 - 55 |
| Saturday Night | W 35 - 45 |
| Sunday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 55 - 65 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
Directions above indicate the direction the wind blows from on the 16-point cardinal scale. These winds indicate "free" winds, or those winds in the atmosphere not influenced by terrain. Topographical effects may produce greater or lower wind speeds in certain locations as well as significant variations in direction.
Issued: 2:44 PM PDT Saturday, March 18, 2017
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
A weak warm front will lift over the area from the south on Monday with increasing high clouds that slightly lower late in the day. Light precipitation should develop first for Mt. Hood and the far south Washington Cascades Monday afternoon and spread northward Monday night. Breezy easterly offshore flow through the Passes should last through Tuesday. A stacked low pressure system offshore will spin an occluded front through the area on Tuesday afternoon and night with showers to follow on Wednesday. As the upper low center drifts closer on Wednesday, the air mass will slowly cool and become slightly unstable.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Increasing high clouds during the day. Light rain and snow developing Mt. Hood and far south Washington Cascades. Breezy offshore flow through the Cascade Passes.
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow.
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Slight cooling trend.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Snow Level | 3000' - 4000' | 3000' - 4000' | 3500' - 4500' | * |
| Monday Night - Tuesday | Snow Level | 4500' - 5500' | 4500' - 5500' | 5000' - 6000' | * |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday | Snow Level | 3500' - 4500' | 3500' - 4500' | 4000' - 5000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night - Tuesday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night - Tuesday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night - Tuesday |
Snow Level 5000' - 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
* Easterly flow in the Cascade Passes can cause locally lower Snow or Freezing levels than areas further west.
Freezing Level is when no precipitation is forecast.
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Previous forecast from Mar 18, 2017
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