Issued: 6:58 AM PST Sunday, March 4, 2018
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Sunday & Saturday

A broad trough slides east across the intermountain west on Sunday. An upper low within the broad trough has an associated shortwave feature which crosses the Pacific Northwest late Sunday afternoon and evening from the northwest. The trough feature will bring increasing snow showers today through the evening hours with decreasing snow shower activity after midnight tonight through Monday evening. Mild convergence is possible Sunday night. Crest-level winds will generally be light westerly, but may become moderate tonight.

Little sunshine is expected Sunday and Monday, but sun breaks are likely late Monday, particularly in the south. The clearing skies will work their way northward into the Olympics and south Cascades Monday night as ridging gradually builds into the region.

Temperatures should stay cool throughout the short-term forecast period.

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Sunday Clouds thickening with periods of light snow developing during the afternoon hours.
Sunday Night Decreasing chance of light snow showers.
Monday Isolated light snow showers.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Sunday Cloudy with increasing light snow showers.
Sunday Night Cloudy with light snow showers decreasing in coverage after midnight, but convergence possible.
Monday Mostly cloudy with decreasing light snow showers, becoming partly cloudy in the south during the afternoon.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Sunday Mostly cloudy with an increasing chance of light snow showers.
Sunday Night Cloudy with light snow showers decreasing in coverage after midnight, but convergence possible.
Monday Cloudy with light snow showers decreasing in coverage after midnight, but convergence possible.
Mt. Hood
Sunday Mostly sunny in the morning with clouds moving in by noon. Chance of light snow showers in the late afternoon.
Sunday Night Light snow showers decreasing after midnight.
Monday Chance of an isolated snow shower in the morning, then becoming partly to mostly sunny.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Sunday Morning Snow Level 2000' 2000' 2000' ' ' 2000' ' 2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level 2000' 2000' 2500' ' ' 2500' ' 3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level 500' 500' 500' ' ' 1000' ' 1000'
Monday Morning Snow Level 2000' 1500' 1500' ' ' 2000' ' 2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level 2000' 2000' 2500' ' ' 2500' ' 3500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Monday Night Snow Level
1000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Monday Night Snow Level
1000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Monday Night Snow Level
500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Monday Night Snow Level
500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night Snow Level
1000'

* 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 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Washington Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Paradise 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
White Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 LT 0.10
LT 0.25 LT 0.10

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Sunday Morning WSW 10 - 20 SW 5 - 15 W 10 - 20 --- - W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25 SW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 --- - WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 WSW 20 - 30 --- - WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 W 15 - 25 --- - W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15 WSW 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 --- - W 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 10 - 20
Monday Morning WSW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Monday Night SSW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning SW 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Sunday Night SW 10 - 20
Monday Morning SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Monday Night SW 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning W 15 - 25
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 10 - 20
Monday Morning WSW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Monday Night SSW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Sunday Night SW 10 - 20
Monday Morning SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Monday Night SW 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning W 15 - 25
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 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
Sunday Morning WSW 15 - 25 SW 10 - 20 W 20 - 30 --- - W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35 --- - W 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 25 - 35 W 25 - 35 WSW 30 - 40 --- - WSW 25 - 35
Monday Morning W 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 W 20 - 30 --- - W 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 W 20 - 30 --- - W 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 25 - 35
Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Sunday Night W 25 - 35
Monday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Night WSW 30 - 40
Monday Morning W 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Monday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 25 - 35
Monday Morning W 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Monday Night WSW 15 - 25

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 Mar 3, 2018

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.