Issued: 3:09 PM PDT Tuesday, April 4, 2017
by Garth Ferber

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

Weather Synopsis for Tuesday & Wednesday

An upper ridge gradually shifted east over the Northwest on Monday and although it wasn't warm we got a taste of spring. Well spring is going to hold off for quite awhile longer!

The upper ridge will gradually continue to the east and an increasing SSW flow aloft will be seen over the Northwest through Tuesday night. A warm front in the SSW flow will lift north over the Northwest Tuesday night causing precipitation mainly on the volcanoes especially Mt Baker. A little shot of alpine winds should be seen Tuesday night as the warm front moves over the area.

A SSW-NNE oriented cold front will stall over the Northwest on Wednesday and Thursday with a series of waves moving south to north along the front. This should continue to cause periods of precipitation mainly on the volcanoes especially Mt Baker with little change in snow levels expected through Wednesday night. This pattern may also wrap more than usual precipitation around to the Cascade east slopes.

Showers may temporarily decrease between waves on Wednesday night.

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Afternoon

Increasing light rain or snow.

Tuesday Night

Increasing moderate to heavy rain or snow heaviest west Olympics. Moderate alpine winds.

Wednesday Morning - Wednesday Evening

Periods of moderate to heavy rain or snow heaviest west Olympics.

Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Afternoon

Increasing mid and high clouds.

Tuesday Night

Increasing moderate to heavy rain or snow Mt Baker area. Increasing moderate rain or snow other volcanoes. Increasing light rain or snow Passes. Moderate alpine winds.

Wednesday Morning - Wednesday Evening

Periods of moderate to heavy rain or snow volcanoes and periods of light to moderate rain or snow Cascade Passes.

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Afternoon

Increasing mid and high clouds.

Tuesday Night

Increasing light rain or snow. Moderate alpine winds.

Wednesday Morning - Wednesday Evening

Periods of light to moderate rain or snow.

Mt. Hood Area
Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Afternoon

Increasing mid and high clouds.

Tuesday Night

Increasing light rain or snow. Moderate alpine winds.

Wednesday Morning - Wednesday Evening

Periods of light to moderate rain or snow.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level * 5000' 4500' 4500' ' ' 5000' ' 5500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
5000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
5000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night Snow Level
6000'

* 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

Wednesday Wednesday
Hurricane Ridge 0.25 - 0.50 0 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area 0.50 - 0.75 0 - 1.50
Washington Pass LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 0 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.25 0 - 0.50
Mission Ridge LT 0.25 0 - 0.50
Crystal Mt LT 0.25 0 - 0.50
Paradise 0 - 0.50 0 - 1.00
White Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.25 LT 0.25
LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25 SSE 10 - 20 SSE 15 - 25 --- - SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30 SSE 15 - 25 SSE 20 - 30 --- - SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSW 30 - 45 SSE 25 - 35 SSE 25 - 35 --- - SSW 20 - 30
Wednesday Morning SSW 15 - 25 SSE 15 - 25 SSE 15 - 25 --- - SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20 SSW 10 - 20 SSE 10 - 20 --- - SSW 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSW 30 - 45
Wednesday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 10 - 20
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SSE 25 - 35
Wednesday Morning SSE 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSE 25 - 35
Wednesday Morning SSE 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSE 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Tuesday Mid-day --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSW 20 - 30
Wednesday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSW 30 - 45
Wednesday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 10 - 20
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SSE 25 - 35
Wednesday Morning SSE 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSE 25 - 35
Wednesday Morning SSE 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSE 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSW 20 - 30
Wednesday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SSE 20 - 30

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
Tuesday Mid-day SSW 20 - 30 SSW 15 - 25 SSW 20 - 30 --- - SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35 SSW 20 - 30 SSW 25 - 35 --- - SSW 30 - 45
Tuesday Night SSW 45 - 65 SSW 30 - 45 SSW 45 - 65 --- - SSW 45 - 65
Wednesday Morning SSW 30 - 45 SSW 30 - 45 SSW 35 - 50 --- - SSW 40 - 60
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35 SSW 20 - 30 SSW 25 - 35 --- - SSW 35 - 50
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night SSW 45 - 65
Wednesday Morning SSW 30 - 45
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35
Wednesday Night SSW 40 - 60
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSW 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SSW 30 - 45
Wednesday Morning SSW 30 - 45
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Wednesday Night SSW 35 - 50
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night SSW 45 - 65
Wednesday Morning SSW 35 - 50
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35
Wednesday Night SSW 40 - 60
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Mid-day SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 30 - 45
Tuesday Night SSW 45 - 65
Wednesday Morning SSW 40 - 60
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 35 - 50
Wednesday Night SSW 40 - 60

Extended Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Wednesday

A last wave should finally carry the front across the Northwest on Thursday.

A vigorous surface low pressure system should move to Vancouver Island on Friday afternoon. This will cause active weather and strong shifting alpine winds in the Olympics Cascades.

An upper trough should follow the low across the Northwest on Saturday causing showers and lower snow levels.

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades, Mt Hood
Thursday

Periods of light to moderate rain or snow through midday. Light showers decreasing and ending in the afternoon and evening.

Friday

Increasing moderate to heavy rain or snow volcanoes and increasing light to moderate rain or snow Passes. Strong shifting alpine winds.

Saturday

Decreasing showers and lower snow levels.

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Thursday - Friday Snow Level 4000' - 6000' 4000' - 6000' 5000' - 7000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday - Friday Snow Level
4000' - 6000'
Saturday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday - Friday Snow Level
4000' - 6000'
Saturday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday - Friday Snow Level
5000' - 7000'
Saturday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'

* 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 Apr 4, 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.

Precipitation forecasts corrected at Baker and Snoqualmie 3 pm.