Issued: 7:19 AM PST Saturday, December 2, 2017
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Saturday & Saturday

A sharp upper trough will swing east across the Pacific Northwest Saturday and Saturday Night with the axis of the trough crossing the Cascades Saturday afternoon. A slow-moving associated cold front crosses the Cascades on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night the flow shifts to the NW and results in upslope flow on the north side of the Olympics and renewed snowfall at Hurricane Ridge. 

On Sunday, a strong ridge builds over the Northwest coastal waters and begins to shift east over the forecast region. The ridge will bring a shift to a drier airmass, with that drying trend continuing Sunday night.

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Saturday Morning

Light snow showers.

Saturday Afternoon

Light snow showers.

Saturday Night

Increasing light to moderate snow showers.

Sunday Morning

Light snow showers ending.

Sunday Afternoon

Decreasing Clouds.

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

Increasing light to moderate snow showers.

Saturday Afternoon

Light to moderate snow showers.

Saturday Night

Decreasing light snow showers ending in the north part.

Sunday Morning

Decreasing light snow showers mainly in central and southern parts, ending.

Sunday Afternoon

Mostly cloudy.

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Saturday Morning

Increasing light snow showers.

Saturday Afternoon

Light snow showers.

Saturday Night

Decreasing light snow showers ending in the north part.

Sunday Morning

Decreasing light snow showers mainly in central and southern parts, ending.

Sunday Afternoon

Mostly high clouds.

Mt. Hood Area
Saturday Morning

Increasing light to moderate snow showers.

Saturday Afternoon

Light to moderate snow showers.

Saturday Night

Light to moderate snow showers.

Sunday Morning

Decreasing light snow showers.

Sunday Afternoon

Decreasing light snow showers.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning Snow Level 2500' 2500' 1000' ' ' 3000' ' 3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level * 2500' 2500' 1000' ' ' 3000' ' 3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level * 1500' 1500' 1000' ' ' 2000' ' 2000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level 2000' 1500' 1000' ' ' 2000' ' 2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level 2000' 2000' 1500' ' ' 2000' ' 2500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
1500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
1000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
1000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
1500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday Night Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Freezing 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

Saturday Saturday
Hurricane Ridge 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area 0 - 0.50 LT 0.10
Washington Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass 0 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Paradise 0 - 0.75 LT 0.25
White Pass 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows 0 - 0.75 LT 0.25
0 - 1.00 LT 0.25

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning S 10 - 15 S 5 - 15 S 10 - 15 --- - SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 10 NE 5 - 10 E 10 - 15 --- - SSE 10 - 15
Saturday Night NNW 5 - 10 NNE 5 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 --- - WSW 15 - 20
Sunday Morning NW 5 - 10 N 0 - 10 WNW 10 - 15 --- - W 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10 W 5 - 10 WNW 10 - 15 --- - W 25 - 35
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning S 10 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 10
Saturday Night NNW 5 - 10
Sunday Morning NW 5 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Sunday Night NW 5 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning S 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon NE 5 - 10
Saturday Night NNE 5 - 10
Sunday Morning N 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 5 - 10
Sunday Night W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning S 10 - 15
Saturday Afternoon E 10 - 15
Saturday Night VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Morning WNW 10 - 15
Sunday Afternoon WNW 10 - 15
Sunday Night NW 5 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SSE 10 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 15 - 20
Sunday Morning W 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 25 - 35
Sunday Night WNW 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning S 10 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 10
Saturday Night NNW 5 - 10
Sunday Morning NW 5 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Sunday Night NW 5 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning S 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon NE 5 - 10
Saturday Night NNE 5 - 10
Sunday Morning N 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 5 - 10
Sunday Night W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning S 10 - 15
Saturday Afternoon E 10 - 15
Saturday Night VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Morning WNW 10 - 15
Sunday Afternoon WNW 10 - 15
Sunday Night NW 5 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SSE 10 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 15 - 20
Sunday Morning W 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 25 - 35
Sunday Night WNW 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
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 SW 20 - 35 --- - SSW 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon S 15 - 20 SSE 15 - 20 S 25 - 35 --- - SSW 30 - 40
Saturday Night VAR 0 - 10 S 10 - 15 SW 10 - 15 --- - SW 20 - 30
Sunday Morning NNW 15 - 20 NNW 15 - 20 NNW 25 - 30 --- - NNW 25 - 30
Sunday Afternoon WNW 20 - 25 WNW 20 - 25 NW 30 - 40 --- - NW 30 - 40
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon S 15 - 20
Saturday Night VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Morning NNW 15 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WNW 20 - 25
Sunday Night NNW 20 - 25
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SSE 15 - 20
Saturday Night S 10 - 15
Sunday Morning NNW 15 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WNW 20 - 25
Sunday Night NNW 25 - 35
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 35
Saturday Afternoon S 25 - 35
Saturday Night SW 10 - 15
Sunday Morning NNW 25 - 30
Sunday Afternoon NW 30 - 40
Sunday Night NNW 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SSW 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon SSW 30 - 40
Saturday Night SW 20 - 30
Sunday Morning NNW 25 - 30
Sunday Afternoon NW 30 - 40
Sunday Night NNW 25 - 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.

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

Previous forecast from Dec 1, 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.