Issued: 9:25 AM PDT Friday, March 31, 2017
by Dennis D'Amico

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k

Weather Synopsis for Friday & Saturday

9:25 AM Update: Updated and increased cloud cover in the north Cascades and Olympic for today.

An upper level ridge will flop over the Pacific Northwest today. A weak frontal system currently hung up around northern Vancouver Island will very slowly sag south, spreading increasing high clouds for the Olympics and north Cascades in the afternoon and periods of filtered sunshine for areas further south.  Clouds and moisture will increase overnight with the front quickly moving through the area Saturday morning. Post-frontal shower activity should be fairly light, heaviest along the west slopes of the Washington Cascades, with sunbreaks likely in the afternoon. The northwest Cascades may be locally cloudier while increased amounts of sunshine are likely along the east slopes of the Washington Cascades and further south at Mt. Hood. A 100 kt jet will have sunk over the area on Saturday, and alpine winds are expected to be moderate out of the W-NW Saturday and Saturday night. 

An approaching upper level trough will move overhead late Saturday night, dropping snow levels and increasing cloud cover over the area. A Puget Sound Convergence zone may form Saturday night as moist onshore westerly flow increases.   

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Friday

Partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine through high clouds. 

Friday Night

Increasing clouds overnight and light rain and snow developing. 

Saturday Morning

Cloudy with light rain and snow turning to light scattered showers. 

Saturday Afternoon

Mostly cloudy with afternoon sunbreaks. Isolated light rain and snow showers. 

Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Friday

Partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine through high clouds northwest Cascades. Mostly sunny central and south Washington Cascades in the morning with periods of filtered sunshine beginning late morning. Milder. 

Friday Night

Increasing clouds overnight and light rain and snow developing northwest Cascades. 

Saturday Morning - Saturday Mid-day

Cloudy with light rain and snow turning to light showers mid-day. 

Saturday Afternoon

Mostly cloudy with afternoon sunbreaks. Isolated light rain and snow showers. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Friday

Partly cloudy with filtered sunshine through high clouds northeast Cascades. Mostly sunny central-east and southeast Washington Cascades in the morning with Periods of filtered sunshine beginning mid-day. Milder. 

Friday Night

Increasing clouds overnight. 

Saturday Morning - Saturday Mid-day

Cloudy with light rain and snow turning to scattered light showers mid-day. 

Saturday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy with afternoon sunbreaks. Isolated light rain and snow showers near the Cascade crest. 

Mt. Hood Area
Friday

Mostly sunny. Milder. 

Friday Night

Increasing clouds overnight. 

Saturday Morning - Saturday Mid-day

Cloudy with very light rain and snow turning to light isolated showers mid-day. 

Saturday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy. Isolated light rain and snow showers. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Friday Morning Freezing Level 4000' 2500' 2000' ' ' 2500' ' 4000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level 7500' 6000' 6000' ' ' 6500' ' 8000'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level 7000' 4500' 4500' ' ' 6000' ' 8000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 5000' 4500' 5000' ' ' 5500' ' 7000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
4000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
7500'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
7000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
2500'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
6000'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
2000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
6000'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
2500'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
6500'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
6000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Friday Morning Freezing Level
4000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Freezing Level
8000'
Friday Night - Saturday Morning Snow Level
8000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
7000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
4500'

* 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 LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.10 0 - 0.50
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Paradise LT 0.10 LT 0.25
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 LT 0.25
LT 0.10 LT 0.25

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Friday VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 --- - VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night SW 0 - 10 SW 0 - 10 WSW 0 - 10 --- - W 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20 SSW 10 - 20 SW 5 - 15 --- - W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 WSW 5 - 15 --- - W 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Friday VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night SW 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Elevation
Friday VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night SW 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Friday W 0 - 10
Friday Night WSW 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Friday --- -
Friday Night --- -
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Friday VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night W 0 - 10
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 15 - 25
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Friday VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night SW 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Friday VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night SW 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Friday W 0 - 10
Friday Night WSW 0 - 10
Saturday Morning SW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Friday --- -
Friday Night --- -
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Friday VAR 0 - 10
Friday Night W 0 - 10
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 15 - 25

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
Friday Morning NW 5 - 15 NW 0 - 10 N 10 - 20 --- - NNE 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon W 10 - 20 W 0 - 10 NW 10 - 20 --- - N 5 - 15
Friday Night SW 15 - 25 WSW 10 - 20 W 15 - 25 --- - NW 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Friday Morning NW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Saturday - Saturday Night WSW 20 - 35
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Friday Morning NW 0 - 10
Friday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Friday Night WSW 10 - 20
Saturday - Saturday Night W 30 - 45
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Friday Morning N 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon NW 10 - 20
Friday Night W 15 - 25
Saturday - Saturday Night W 30 - 45
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon --- -
Friday Night --- -
Saturday - Saturday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Friday Morning NNE 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon N 5 - 15
Friday Night NW 10 - 20
Saturday - Saturday Night WNW 20 - 35

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.

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k

Previous forecast from Mar 31, 2017

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.

9:25 AM Update: Updated and increased cloud cover in the north Cascades and Olympic for today.