Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Thursday & Wednesday
Partial clearing is occurring this afternoon for the Olympics, central and south Cascades including Mt. Hood while clouds and persistent showers are lingering longest in the north Cascades. Snow levels will once again oscillate between 4500-5500 feet today with slightly higher snow levels expected this afternoon at Mt. Hood.
A stronger low pressure system will develop overnight off the Oregon Coast and track offshore toward Vancouver Island on Friday. This storm system will bring increasing winds, first moderate E-SE winds at crest level and through the Cascade Passes late Thursday night through Friday morning and then followed by strong post-frontal S-SW winds Friday mid-day through the afternoon.
After a brief break in the action this evening, a warm front will lift north late tonight, spreading light to moderate precipitation across the area, including to the east slopes of the Cascades. There should be a lull in the precipitation mid to late morning between the frontal band and when the showers ramp up mid-day.
A vigorous shortwave rotating out of the low pressure system will bring increasing showers in the afternoon and evening on Friday. The southerly component to the flow Thursday night and Friday will favor the Olympic and Washington volcanoes for heavier precipitation, with much lighter amounts expected in the Cascade Passes and Mt. Hood. Easterly flow Friday morning may briefly lower snow levels in the Passes, but it doesn't look cold enough to bring snow down to Pass level. Snow levels will slowly drop during the day Friday and lower further Friday night.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Thursday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night |
Increasing clouds with light rain and snow developing overnight. |
| Friday |
Light to moderate rain and snow ending mid-morning. Rain and snow showers increasing in the afternoon and becoming moderate. Becoming very windy in the afternoon. |
| Friday Night |
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Cooling trend. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Thursday Afternoon |
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers Mt. Baker area. Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers central-west and southwest Cascades. |
| Thursday Night |
Increasing clouds with light rain and snow developing overnight, becoming occasionally moderate south Washington Cascades. Increasing winds. |
| Friday Morning |
Light to moderate rain and snow ending mid to late morning from south to north. Rain and snow showers increasing in the afternoon and becoming moderate. Heaviest afternoon showers Mt. Baker area. Becoming very windy. |
| Friday Night |
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Cooling trend. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Thursday Afternoon |
Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night |
Increasing clouds with light rain and snow developing overnight, becoming occasionally moderate southeast and central-east Washington Cascades. Increasing winds. |
| Friday |
Light to moderate rain and snow ending mid to late morning from south to north. Rain and snow showers increasing in the afternoon and becoming light to occasionally moderate. Becoming windy. |
| Friday Night |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers. Cooling trend. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Thursday Afternoon |
Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night |
Light rain and snow developing in the evening, becoming occasionally moderate after midnight. Increasing alpine winds. |
| Friday |
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow in the morning. Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers beginning mid-day. Becoming very windy. |
| Friday Night |
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Cooling trend. |
Issued: 3:41 PM PDT Thursday, April 6, 2017
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level | 5000' | 4500' | 5500' | ' | ' | 5500' | ' | 6500' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | Snow Level * | 5500' | 5500' | 5500' | ' | ' | 6000' | ' | 6500' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | 5000' | 4500' | 5000' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 4500' |
| Friday Night | Snow Level | 3500' | 3000' | 3000' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 3000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
* 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 | LT 0.25 | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0 - 2.00 |
| Washington Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.75 - 1.00 |
| Stevens Pass | 0 - 0.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0 - 0.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Crystal Mt | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0 - 1.00 |
| Paradise | 0 - 0.75 | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| White Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.50 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | 0 - 0.75 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
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: 3:41 PM PDT Thursday, April 6, 2017
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 5 - 15 | S 10 - 20 | SE 5 - 15 | --- - | SE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | E 10 - 20 | E 10 - 20 | E 15 - 25 | --- - | SE 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | S 25 - 35 | SE 10 - 20 | ESE 20 - 30 | --- - | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SSW 35 - 45 | S 35 - 45 | S 30 - 40 | --- - | SW 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | SW 15 - 25 | S 20 - 30 | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | S 25 - 35 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SSW 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | S 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | S 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | E 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | ESE 20 - 30 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | S 30 - 40 |
| Friday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | S 25 - 35 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SSW 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | S 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | S 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | E 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | ESE 20 - 30 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | S 30 - 40 |
| Friday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 |
| Friday Night | WSW 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 25 - 35 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 20 - 30 | --- - | SSW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | S 25 - 40 | S 25 - 35 | S 30 - 40 | --- - | SSW 50 - 60 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | S 55 - 70 | SSW 30 - 40 | SW 55 - 70 | --- - | SW 70 - 90 |
| Friday Night | SW 30 - 40 | SW 20 - 30 | SW 30 - 40 | --- - | SW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | S 25 - 40 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | S 55 - 70 |
| Friday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | S 25 - 35 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SSW 30 - 40 |
| Friday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | S 30 - 40 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SW 55 - 70 |
| Friday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SSW 50 - 60 |
| Friday Mid-day - Friday Afternoon | SW 70 - 90 |
| Friday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
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: 3:41 PM PDT Thursday, April 6, 2017
Extended Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Wednesday
The trailing deep and cool upper level trough will settle over PNW on Saturday with widespread showers during the day, especially along the west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood. The next frontal system offshore will slow and become more north-south oriented as it reaches the Washington Coast Sunday afternoon. Increasing clouds should be seen in the afternoon over the Cascades, but perhaps we can squeeze out some sunshine Sunday morning. The active pattern will continue with the frontal system pushing through Sunday night and showers following on Monday with another cool upper level trough overhead.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers Olympics, west slopes of the Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood. Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers along the east slopes of the Cascades.
Mostly cloudy with showers tapering off overnight.
Partly cloudy in the morning becoming cloudy in the afternoon. Light rain and snow developing for the Olympics in the afternoon.
Light to moderate rain and snow.
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Snow Level | 3000' - 4000' | 3000' - 4000' | 3000' - 4000' | |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | 2000' - 3000' | 2000' - 3000' | 2000' - 3000' | |
| Sunday | Freezing Level | 4000' - 5000' | 4500' - 5500' | 5500' - 6500' | |
| Sunday Night - Monday | Snow Level | 3000' - 4000' | 3000' - 4000' | 3000' - 4000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 5500' - 6500' |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
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 6, 2017
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