Issued: 6:48 AM PDT Thursday, March 12, 2020
by Dallas Glass

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

Weather Synopsis for Thursday & Tuesday

Thursday should be a pretty quiet weather day across the region, with cool temperatures and light winds. How much sun you see will depend on your location. Most of the clouds seem to concentrate near the Canadian border and in pockets along the west-slopes of the central Washington Cascades. Areas further south and east should experience mostly sunny skies. We're not expecting any meaningful precipitation, but you could see a stray shower late in the day in the North Cascades. This pattern continues overnight, with dry, cold, and calm conditions in most locations. Clouds will increase late in the evening and early morning ahead of our next storm system. A few light showers could slip into the Olympics and Mt Baker regions as the storm draws closer.  

The weather Friday becomes more active as a low-pressure storm system slides south off the Washington coast before stalling near the Oregon border. Look for light snow to spread across the mountains during the day, reaching Mt Hood in the early afternoon. This is a tricky weather system. Small changes in the position of the low-pressure could greatly impact how much snow accumulates in the mountains. Right now, the bulk of the precipitation appears to fall in areas south of I90. Moisture wrapping around the storm should develop up-slope precipitation on the east side of the Cascades which could favor locations in the Wenatchee Mountains and the higher terrain near Yakima. 

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
Thursday Morning Freezing Level 1500' 1000' 500' 1000' 1000' 1000' 1500' 2000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level 3500' 3500' 3500' 4000' 4000' 4000' 5000' 5500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level 2500' 2000' 1500' 2500' 2000' 2000' 3000' 3500'
Thursday Night Freezing Level * 2000' 1500' 1000' 2000' 2000' 2000' 2500' 3000'
Friday Morning Snow Level * 1500' 1000' 1000' 1000' 1000' 1500' 2000' 2000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2500'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Washington Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Leavenworth Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
4000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2500'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
4000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
4000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
5000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
3000'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
2500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Morning Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
5500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
3500'
Thursday Night Freezing Level
3000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Morning Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
(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

Thursday Thursday Night Tuesday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge 0 LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.10 LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Washington Pass 0 0 LT 0.25
Leavenworth 0 0 LT 0.25
Stevens Pass 0 0 LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass 0 0 0.25
Mission Ridge 0 0 0.25 - 0.50
Crystal Mt 0 0 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise 0 0 0.25 - 0.50
White Pass 0 0 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows 0 0 0.25
0 0 0.25
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation Forecast
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.25
Washington Pass Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday LT 0.25
Leavenworth Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday LT 0.25
Stevens Pass Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25
Mission Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25 - 0.50
Crystal Mt Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25 - 0.50
White Pass Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25
Timberline Precipitation Forecast
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Tuesday 0.25

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 NW 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 10 - 20
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15
Friday Morning E 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon NE 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Morning W 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Thursday Evening SW 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon ENE 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning W 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon E 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Thursday Morning NW 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Friday Afternoon SSE 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon NE 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning W 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Thursday Evening SW 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon ENE 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning W 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon E 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning E 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Friday Afternoon 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
Thursday Morning NW 30 - 40 NW 20 - 30 NW 40 - 55 NW 30 - 40 NW 30 - 40
Thursday Afternoon NW 25 - 35 WNW 15 - 25 NW 30 - 40 NW 25 - 35 NW 25 - 35
Thursday Evening W 15 - 25 W 10 - 20 W 25 - 35 WNW 20 - 30 NW 20 - 30
Thursday Night W 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 W 15 - 25 WNW 15 - 25 WNW 20 - 30
Friday Morning SSE 5 - 15 SSE 5 - 15 S 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 W 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 30 - 40
Thursday Afternoon NW 25 - 35
Thursday Evening W 15 - 25
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning SSE 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon ESE 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 20 - 30
Thursday Afternoon WNW 15 - 25
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning SSE 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon ESE 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 40 - 55
Thursday Afternoon NW 30 - 40
Thursday Evening W 25 - 35
Thursday Night W 15 - 25
Friday Morning S 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon ESE 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 30 - 40
Thursday Afternoon NW 25 - 35
Thursday Evening WNW 20 - 30
Thursday Night WNW 15 - 25
Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon SE 15 - 25
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 30 - 40
Thursday Afternoon NW 25 - 35
Thursday Evening NW 20 - 30
Thursday Night WNW 20 - 30
Friday Morning W 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon W 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.

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

Previous forecast from Mar 11, 2020

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.