Issued: 7:12 AM PST Monday, January 6, 2020
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Monday & Thursday

A very wet and active weather pattern will be with us for the next several days. 

A relatively stationary, but strong warm front is draped across the Olympics and S Washington Cascades on Monday morning, in association with a broad, but subtle upper-level ridge. The front should gradually lift northward throughout the day, bringing warmer air, and strong SW winds. There's a 50 mph low-level jetstream most vigorous over the central and southern parts of the forecast area, bringing strong alpine winds throughout the region. The warm front continues to bring increasing moderate to heavy rain and snow to the region with a gradual changeover to rain for the Cascade Passes as the day progresses. Areas east of the Cascade should experience a warm-up during the afternoon hours. Precipitation amounts today should be maximized just to the north of the warm front, in the southern and central Washington Cascades, with a very subtle shift northward in the areas of maximum precipitation tonight as the front drifts northward.

On Tuesday, a trough digs offshore as a surface low moves across the northern tip of Vancouver Island with the warm front keeping the heaviest precipitation over the North Cascades and Olympics while most of the rest of the ranges are in the warm sector and experiencing lighter precipitation with mild temperatures. The trough and the surface cold front move onshore by late in the day on Tuesday keeping with winds once again intensifying and rain/snow in the same general areas.

Weather Forecast

Hurricane Ridge
Mt. Baker
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
Mt. Hood

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Monday Morning Snow Level 4500' 2000' 1500' 2000' 2500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level 5000' 3000' 3000' 3500' 4000' 4500' 4000' 5000'
Monday Evening Snow Level 5500' 4500' 4000' 5500' 5000' 5000' 5000' 5000'
Monday Night Snow Level 5500' 4500' 4500' 5500' 5000' 5000' 5000' 5000'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level 5000' 4500' 4500' 5000' 4500' 5000' 5000' 5000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Monday Evening Snow Level
5500'
Monday Night Snow Level
5500'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Monday Evening Snow Level
4500'
Monday Night Snow Level
4500'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Monday Evening Snow Level
4000'
Monday Night Snow Level
4500'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Monday Evening Snow Level
5500'
Monday Night Snow Level
5500'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Monday Evening Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Monday Evening Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Monday Evening Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Monday Evening Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'

* 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

Monday Monday Night Thursday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge 0.75 0.50 - 0.75 0.75
Mt Baker Ski Area 1.00 1.00 - 1.50 2.00
Washington Pass 1.00 0.50 - 0.75 0.75
Leavenworth 0.75 0.25 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass 1.50 - 2.00 1.00 - 1.50 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass 2.00 1.50 0.25
Mission Ridge 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt 0.75 -1.00 0.25 - 0.50 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise 2.50 2.00 1.00
White Pass 1.00 - 1.50 0.50 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows 1.00 0.50 - 0.75 0.25 - 0.50
1.00 0.50 - 0.75 0.25 - 0.50
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Monday 0.75
Monday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Thursday 0.75
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation Forecast
Monday 1.00
Monday Night 1.00 - 1.50
Thursday 2.00
Washington Pass Precipitation Forecast
Monday 1.00
Monday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Thursday 0.75
Leavenworth Precipitation Forecast
Monday 0.75
Monday Night 0.25
Thursday LT 0.10
Stevens Pass Precipitation Forecast
Monday 1.50 - 2.00
Monday Night 1.00 - 1.50
Thursday 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation Forecast
Monday 2.00
Monday Night 1.50
Thursday 0.25
Mission Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Monday 0.50 - 0.75
Monday Night LT 0.25
Thursday LT 0.10
Crystal Mt Precipitation Forecast
Monday 0.75 -1.00
Monday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise Precipitation Forecast
Monday 2.50
Monday Night 2.00
Thursday 1.00
White Pass Precipitation Forecast
Monday 1.00 - 1.50
Monday Night 0.50
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation Forecast
Monday 1.00
Monday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50
Timberline Precipitation Forecast
Monday 1.00
Monday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 30 - 40
Monday Evening WSW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 30 - 40
Monday Night SW 20 - 30 SSW 20 - 30 WSW 30 - 40 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Morning SSW 25 - 35 S 25 - 35 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 10 - 20
Monday Night SW 20 - 30
Tuesday Morning SSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday Morning SW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 15 - 25
Monday Night SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Morning S 25 - 35
Tuesday Afternoon S 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 20 - 30
Monday Night WSW 30 - 40
Tuesday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 20 - 30
Monday Night WSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Monday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Monday Evening WSW 30 - 40
Monday Night WSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 10 - 20
Monday Night SW 20 - 30
Tuesday Morning SSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Monday Morning SW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 15 - 25
Monday Night SSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Morning S 25 - 35
Tuesday Afternoon S 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 20 - 30
Monday Night WSW 30 - 40
Tuesday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Evening WSW 20 - 30
Monday Night WSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Monday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Monday Evening WSW 30 - 40
Monday Night WSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon SW 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.

Free Winds at 9000' (mph)

Mt. Baker Washington Pass Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Monday Morning WSW 40 - 50 WSW 35 - 45 WSW 55 - 70 WSW 50 - 65 W 55 - 70
Monday Afternoon WSW 40 - 60 W 45 - 60 W 50 - 65 W 50 - 65 W 50 - 65
Monday Evening WSW 35 - 45 W 35 - 45 W 45 - 60 W 40 - 50 W 40 - 50
Monday Night WSW 35 - 45 WSW 40 - 55 WSW 50 - 65 WSW 40 - 50 WSW 40 - 50
Tuesday Morning SW 45 - 60 WSW 50 - 65 WSW 50 - 65 WSW 40 - 50 WSW 40 - 50
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 40 - 50
Monday Afternoon WSW 40 - 60
Monday Evening WSW 35 - 45
Monday Night WSW 35 - 45
Tuesday Morning SW 45 - 60
Tuesday Afternoon SW 40 - 55
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 35 - 45
Monday Afternoon W 45 - 60
Monday Evening W 35 - 45
Monday Night WSW 40 - 55
Tuesday Morning WSW 50 - 65
Tuesday Afternoon SW 40 - 55
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 55 - 70
Monday Afternoon W 50 - 65
Monday Evening W 45 - 60
Monday Night WSW 50 - 65
Tuesday Morning WSW 50 - 65
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 40 - 55
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Monday Morning WSW 50 - 65
Monday Afternoon W 50 - 65
Monday Evening W 40 - 50
Monday Night WSW 40 - 50
Tuesday Morning WSW 40 - 50
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 40 - 50
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Monday Morning W 55 - 70
Monday Afternoon W 50 - 65
Monday Evening W 40 - 50
Monday Night WSW 40 - 50
Tuesday Morning WSW 40 - 50
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 40 - 50

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 Jan 5, 2020

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