Mountain Weather Forecast

Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Saturday

An active cool weather pattern will continue through the end of March. A frontal system that passed through Saturday night brought several inches of snow above 4500' along the west slopes of the Cascades, Olympics, and Mt. Hood. The exception was the Mt. Baker area which pulled down 3+" water equivalent with at least 20" of snow as snow levels hovered near 4200'. 

Moving into tonight, showers will wind down briefly before the last in our series of organized winter-like storms approaches the area. A low pressure system will drop south along the British Columbia coast tonight, with precipitation spreading inland to the Cascades after midnight. The cold front should pass through the Cascades mid-morning with significant shower activity following the front through the afternoon and evening. Southerly winds will increase ahead of the front tonight and become gusty out of the W-SW on Monday. A strong jet will move into the region on Monday, keeping the strongest wind focused on the south Washington Cascades and the Mt. Hood area. 1-2' of snow should be the norm across the west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood with lower amounts along the eastern slopes. As much colder air filters in behind the front on Monday, look for snow levels to fall well below Pass levels in the afternoon and overnight. 

The upper low associated with the frontal system will slowly sag south and approach the Washington border on Tuesday. We are in for another round of showers that will increase in the afternoon and continue well into the evening with an unstable air mass overhead. While the odd thunderstorm can't be ruled out, there's a better chance for graupel in heavier showers. Instability should spread to the east slopes of the Cascades beginning Tuesday, meaning showers will both carry over the crest and initiate from the higher terrain on the east side.