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 & Saturday
The story of the week is high, HIGH pressure with no end in sight at the moment. If this were July, we'd be looking at high temperatures in the mid-80's in the lowlands! In December, we have a nice inversion sitting over us with a shallow cold pool east of the Cascade crest, so don't expect record temperatures in the lowlands. Generally, free air freezing levels will be in the 10,000-12,000 ft range during the short-term forecasting period. The easterly flow will keep the pass-level temperatures much cooler than the free air temperatures seen west of the Cascade crest.
With continued amplification of the ridge on Wednesday and the ridge axis offshore, we'll see northerly flow aloft and moderate easterly offshore flow at the surface. During the day on Thursday, the ridge axis will slightly shift east over us with light and variable winds aloft with offshore easterly gradients peaking Thursday morning.
Weather Forecast
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
| Wednesday |
Mostly sunny, with morning low clouds possible near passes and valleys. |
| Wednesday Night |
Mostly clear, with low clouds possible near passes and valleys. |
| Thursday |
Mostly sunny, with morning low clouds possible near passes and valleys. |
| Thursday Night |
Mostly clear, with low clouds possible near passes and valleys. |
Issued: 3:19 PM PST Wednesday, December 6, 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 | Freezing Level * | 11000' | 10000' | 8000' | ' | ' | 9000' | ' | 11000' |
| Wednesday Night | Freezing Level * | 11000' | 11000' | 10000' | ' | ' | 11000' | ' | 11500' |
| Thursday Morning | Freezing Level * | 11000' | 11000' | 11000' | ' | ' | 11000' | ' | 11500' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Freezing Level * | 11000' | 11000' | 11000' | ' | ' | 11500' | ' | 12000' |
| Thursday Night | Freezing Level * | 10000' | 10000' | 10000' | ' | ' | 10000' | ' | 10500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 8000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 9000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 11500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 11500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 12000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 10500' (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.
Precipitation Forecast
| Saturday | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
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: 3:19 PM PST Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 | E 0 - 10 | E 10 - 20 | --- - | ESE 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 | E 0 - 10 | ESE 10 - 20 | --- - | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 5 - 15 | E 0 - 10 | ESE 10 - 20 | --- - | SE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | S 0 - 10 | SE 0 - 10 | ESE 5 - 15 | --- - | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | --- - | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | E 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | E 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | E 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | E 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SSE 5 - 15 |
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 | N 5 - 15 | N 5 - 15 | NE 0 - 10 | --- - | SE 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | E 0 - 10 | NE 0 - 10 | SE 5 - 15 | --- - | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | S 0 - 10 | --- - | S 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | SW 5 - 15 | --- - | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | SW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | NE 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | NE 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | S 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 5 - 15 |
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: 3:19 PM PST Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
On Friday, the ridge is stationary over the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. A weak front is stretched out as it approaches the ridge from the west, around 130W. Models differ regarding whether or not moisture reaches the Olympics this weekend. Saturday, the weak front reaches the British Columbia coast line as it flattens the ridge slightly and shifts it east. The influence of the weak front continues into Sunday morning, when the ridge rebounds again to its Thursday/Friday glory.
Extended Weather
All Zones
Mostly sunny with periods of high clouds moving across the Washington Cascades and Olympics in the afternoon and increasing slightly overnight.
Periods of high and mid-level clouds, especially in the north and west parts of the forecasting region. Slight chance of occasional lowering clouds and light rain in the Olympics. Mostly sunny/clear in the Mt. Hood area. This weather forecast continues Saturday night.
Periods of occasional light clouds and precipitation in the Olympics ending in the morning with decreasing periods of high and mid-level clouds in the Cascades. Increasing sunshine from the south to the north everywhere as the day progresses.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Night | Freezing Level | 9500' - 11500' | 10000' - 12000' | 10500' - 12500' | * |
| Saturday | Freezing Level | 8000' - 10000' | 9000' - 11000' | 10000' - 12000' | * |
| Saturday Night | Freezing Level | 8000' - 10000' | 9500' - 11500' | 11000' - 13000' | * |
| Sunday | Freezing Level | 10000' - 12000' | 11000' - 13000' | 11500' - 13500' | * |
| Friday | Freezing Level | 10000' - 12000' | 10500' - 12500' | 11000' - 13000' | * |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 9500' - 11500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 8000' - 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 8000' - 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 10000' - 12000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday |
Freezing Level 10000' - 12000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' - 12000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 9000' - 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 9500' - 11500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 11000' - 13000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday |
Freezing Level 10500' - 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 10500' - 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 10000' - 12000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 11000' - 13000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 11500' - 13500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday |
Freezing Level 11000' - 13000' (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 Dec 6, 2017
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