Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Wednesday & Sunday
The deep Pacific low pressure system that has been pounding the Pacific Northwest over the last several days will remain quasi-stationary but weaken and rotate showers through the area over the short term. The main frontal band associated with the low pressure slid SE today, with heavier precipitation transitioning to showers from north to south over the region. An additional 5-10 inches of snow accumulated at NWAC sites in the Olympics and west slopes of the Cascades with lesser amounts for Mt. Hood and the east slopes of the Cascades through the day light hours on Wednesday.
Showers should become somewhat invigorated on Thursday afternoon as an another trough swings through and then shower activity should become light and scattered Thursday night through Friday. A dirty ridge will begin building over the area Friday, but plenty of moisture and the aforementioned showers should still affect the mountains.
Weather Forecast
Olympics and Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Pass
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing and becoming scattered overnight. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Cloudy with light rain and snow showers, mainly near the Cascade crest. |
| Thursday Night |
Partly to mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing and ending overnight. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow. |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing and becoming scattered overnight. |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers. |
Issued: 5:14 PM PST Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | Snow Level | 3000' | 3000' | 3000' | ' | ' | 3000' | ' | 4000' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | 2500' | 2000' | 2000' | ' | ' | 2500' | ' | 3000' |
| Thursday | Snow Level | 2500' | 2500' | 2500' | ' | ' | 3000' | ' | 3500' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | 2500' | 2000' | 1500' | ' | ' | 2500' | ' | 2500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
* 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
| Sunday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | 0 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Washington Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | 0 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Paradise | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| White Pass | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Timberline | 0.75 - 1.00 | 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: 5:14 PM PST Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 | SSE 10 - 20 | SSE 0 - 10 | --- - | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 0 - 10 | S 0 - 10 | SSW 5 - 15 | --- - | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday | SW 0 - 10 | S 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 15 - 25 | SW 10 - 20 | WSW 10 - 20 | --- - | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Thursday | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Thursday | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 15 - 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 20 - 30 | --- - | SW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 10 - 20 | SW 20 - 30 | SW 20 - 30 | --- - | SW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday | SW 10 - 20 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | SW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 20 - 30 | WSW 25 - 35 | W 25 - 35 | --- - | W 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night | W 25 - 35 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Thursday | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday | SW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday Night | W 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: 5:14 PM PST Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Extended Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Sunday
The flat upper ridge axis should shift slightly east and build somewhat more on Saturday. There may be some light periods of rain and snow for the Olympics and Mt. Baker, with generally cloudy conditions further south and east. Depending on how much the ridge builds Saturday, clearer skies may pan out for Mt. Hood and the south Washington Cascades.
A vigorous frontal system will drop down from the NE Pacific on Sunday. Current forecast models agree that heavier precipitation will begin for the northwest Cascades including Mt. Baker and Olympics by mid-day Sunday and generally hold off during the daylight hours for the south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood. A slight warming trend during the day on Sunday will precede the frontal passage.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers.
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow Olympics and northwest Cascades including Mt. Baker. Cloudy rest of Washington Cascades. Partly to mostly cloudy Mt. Hood.
Rain and snow developing late morning Olympics and northwest Cascades including Mt. Baker, becoming stormy in the afternoon. Light rain and snow developing Sunday afternoon for the south and central Washington Cascades. Mostly cloudy Mt. Hood.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday - Friday Night | Snow Level | 2000' - 3000' | 2500' - 3500' | 3000' - 4000' | |
| Saturday | Snow Level | 2500' - 3500' | 3000' - 4000' | 4000' - 5000' | |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | 2000' - 3000' | 3000' - 4000' | 4000' - 5000' | * |
| Sunday | Snow Level | 3000' - 4000' | 4000' - 5000' | 5500' - 6500' | * |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday - Friday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday - Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday - Friday Night |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Snow Level 5500' - 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
* 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 May 15, 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.