Issued: 2:17 PM PDT Sunday, April 12, 2020
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Thursday

This is the last mountain weather forecast of the 2019-2020 season. 

We bring the forecasting season to a close with a quiet weather pattern. The Pacific Northwest remains positioned between a broad trough over central and eastern North America and an amplified offshore ridge gradually creeps towards the coast. The ridge increasingly dominates our weather pattern with warming temperatures under dry northerly flow aloft.

Sunday night, with light winds and clear skies, a sharp inversion should form in some areas below 4000 ft. This should bring below-freezing temperatures to many areas even though some mid-mountain locations and ridges may not fall below freezing.

Freezing levels may top out at 6000-6500 ft on Monday afternoon under sunny skies.

Low-level W winds should increase slightly late Monday night as a weak disturbance moves into British Columbia with scattered mid and high-level clouds arriving. Tuesday should see increasing scattered clouds with partly to mostly cloudy skies by the afternoon as freezing levels rise to 7500-9500 ft.

 

Weather Forecast

Hurricane Ridge
Sunday Night Clear and mild aloft with a low-level inversion below 4000 ft.
Mt. Baker
Sunday Night Clear and mild aloft with a low-level inversion below 4000 ft.
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
Sunday Night A few clouds in the evening giving way to clear skies. Mild aloft with a low-level inversion below 4000 ft and valley fog possibly developing.
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
Sunday Night A few clouds in the evening giving way to clear skies. Mild aloft with a low-level inversion below 4000 ft. Light W winds through the mountain gaps will shift E and increase slightly overnight with light winds at 5000 ft.
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
Sunday Night Scattered clouds in the evening giving way to clear skies. Mild aloft with a low-level inversion below 4000 ft.
Mt. Hood
Sunday Night Scattered clouds in the evening giving way to clear skies. Mild aloft with a low-level inversion below 4000 ft.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Sunday Evening Freezing Level 5500' 5000' 4500' 5000' 5000' 5000' 5000' 5500'
Sunday Night Freezing Level * 5000' 4000' 3500' 4000' 4000' 4500' 4500' 5000'
Monday Morning Freezing Level 5000' 4500' 4500' 4500' 4500' 4500' 5000' 5000'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6000' 6500'
Monday Evening Freezing Level 6500' 6000' 6000' 6500' 6500' 6500' 6500' 7000'
Monday Night Freezing Level 7000' 5500' 5500' 6500' 5500' 6000' 6000' 7000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level 8500' 6000' 6000' 7000' 6000' 6500' 7000' 8000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5500'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
5000'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
7000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
8500'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
9500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
4500'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
5500'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
6000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
7000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
4500'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
3500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
4500'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
5500'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
6000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
7500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
4500'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
6500'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
7000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
8500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
4500'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
5500'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
6000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
7500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
4500'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
6000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
6500'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
7500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5000'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
5000'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
6500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
6000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
7000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
7500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Evening Freezing Level
5500'
Sunday Night Freezing Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Freezing Level
5000'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6500'
Monday Evening Freezing Level
7000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
7000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
8000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
8500'

* 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

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Sunday Evening NNE 5 - 15 NNE 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 E 0 - 10
Sunday Night NNE 5 - 15 ENE 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 E 5 - 15
Monday Morning NW 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 E 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Evening NNE 5 - 15
Sunday Night NNE 5 - 15
Monday Morning NW 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Evening NNE 5 - 15
Sunday Night ENE 0 - 10
Monday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night VAR 0 - 10
Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Sunday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night VAR 0 - 10
Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon WNW 0 - 10
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Evening E 0 - 10
Sunday Night E 5 - 15
Monday Morning E 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening NNE 5 - 15
Sunday Night NNE 5 - 15
Monday Morning NW 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening NNE 5 - 15
Sunday Night ENE 0 - 10
Monday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night VAR 0 - 10
Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night VAR 0 - 10
Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon WNW 0 - 10
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening E 0 - 10
Sunday Night E 5 - 15
Monday Morning E 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10

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 Evening NNE 10 - 20 N 15 - 25 N 10 - 20 NNW 15 - 25 NNW 10 - 20
Sunday Night N 25 - 35 N 30 - 40 N 10 - 20 N 10 - 20 N 10 - 20
Monday Morning N 15 - 25 N 30 - 40 N 20 - 30 N 20 - 30 NNE 25 - 35
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening NNE 10 - 20
Sunday Night N 25 - 35
Monday Morning N 15 - 25
Monday Afternoon NNW 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening N 15 - 25
Sunday Night N 30 - 40
Monday Morning N 30 - 40
Monday Afternoon NNW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening N 10 - 20
Sunday Night N 10 - 20
Monday Morning N 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon NNW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening NNW 15 - 25
Sunday Night N 10 - 20
Monday Morning N 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon NNW 15 - 25
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Evening NNW 10 - 20
Sunday Night N 10 - 20
Monday Morning NNE 25 - 35
Monday Afternoon N 10 - 20

Extended Weather Synopsis for Thursday night through Thursday

The same general weather pattern persists. A weak disturbance drops SE from British Columbia into Montana Tuesday night, bringing some subtle cooling and pulling in some westerly low-level flow and low clouds onshore with isolated rain showers possible over the mountains. The offshore ridge should remain dominant for our region and with the disturbance moving out Wednesday, so expect sunny and slightly warmer than seasonal weather with freezing levels in the 6000-8000 ft range through Thursday.

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Tuesday Night Freezing Level 6000' - 7500' 6500' - 8000' 9000' - 10500'
Wednesday Freezing Level 6500' - 7500' 6500' - 7500' 7000' - 8000'
Wednesday Night Freezing Level 6500' - 7500' 7000' - 8000' 7500' - 8500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Night Freezing Level
6000' - 7500'
Wednesday Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'
Wednesday Night Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'
Thursday Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Night Freezing Level
6500' - 8000'
Wednesday Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'
Wednesday Night Freezing Level
7000' - 8000'
Thursday Freezing Level
6000' - 7000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Night Freezing Level
9000' - 10500'
Wednesday Freezing Level
7000' - 8000'
Wednesday Night Freezing Level
7500' - 8500'
Thursday Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'

* 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 Apr 11, 2020

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