Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Saturday
We're entering a period of quieter weather. An offshore ridge of high pressure moves onshore displacing Wednesday's trough and the majority of the associated snow shower activity. Shallow trapped low-level moisture should continue a chance of very light snow showers activity into early Thursday. Mt. Hood maintains slightly stronger winds, which may force any remaining moisture out of the clouds, perhaps dropping an inch or two more of snow.
The ridge expands northward and eastward on Thursday, giving the region a milder day with freezing levels getting up to 3500-4500 ft by the afternoon. The expanding ridge should also fend off an approaching warm front associated with a subtropical supply of moisture aimed north of the border into southern British Columbia. This feature should keep cloudy skies over most of our mountains, however, Mt. Hood and the E slopes of the Cascades stand a good chance for some sunshine in the afternoon.
Thursday night, the warm front may brush the Mt. Baker area, bringing some very light rain and snow, while other areas remain dry, but mostly cloudy.
On Friday, the cold front associated with the trailing edge of the subtropical moisture feed impacting British Columbia drops SE into our region, flattening the high pressure ridge. Out ahead of it, SSW winds should pick up into the moderate range and clouds should lower and thicken in the afternoon over western Washington.
Weather Forecast
Hurricane Ridge
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a chance of a very light snow shower. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy. Milder. Light winds. |
Mt. Baker
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a chance of a very light snow shower. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a chance of a very light rain or snow shower. Light winds becoming moderate in the afternoon. |
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
| Wednesday Night | Light snow flurries near lingering near the Cascade Crest. Generally light winds. |
| Thursday | Partly cloudy with increasing chances of sunshine E of the Cascade Crest. Milder. Generally light winds. |
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a decreasing chance of a light rain or snow shower. Light to occasionally moderate 5000 ft winds. Light W winds through the passes (moderate winds E of the mountain gaps). |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a very slight chance of a light rain or snow shower. Milder. Light to occasionally moderate 5000 ft winds. Light W winds through the passes (moderate winds E of the mountain gaps). |
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a decreasing chance of a light rain or snow shower. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a very slight chance of a light rain or snow shower. Milder. Light winds. |
Mt. Hood
| Wednesday Night | Decreasing light snow showers. Moderate winds. |
| Thursday | Cloudy in the morning with a lingering chance of a light rain or snow shower, then becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. Milder. Moderate winds. |
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | Snow Level | 3000' | 2000' | 1500' | 2500' | 2500' | 3000' | 3000' | 3000' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | 2500' | 2000' | 1500' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' | 3000' | 3000' |
| Thursday Morning | Freezing Level | 4000' | 3000' | 3000' | 3500' | 3500' | 3500' | 3500' | 4000' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Freezing Level | 5000' | 3500' | 3500' | 4500' | 3500' | 3500' | 4000' | 4500' |
| Thursday Evening | Snow Level | 4500' | 2500' | 2500' | 4500' | 3000' | 3000' | 4000' | 5500' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | 5000' | 3000' | 2500' | 4000' | 2500' | 3000' | 4500' | 5500' |
| Friday Morning | Freezing Level | 6500' | 4000' | 3500' | 5000' | 4500' | 4500' | 4500' | 8000' |
| Friday Afternoon | Freezing Level | 7000' | 4000' | 4000' | 7000' | 6000' | 8000' | 8500' | 10000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 5000' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 6500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 7000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 5000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 7000' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 6000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 8000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 8500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 8000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 10000' |
* 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
| Wednesday Night | Saturday | Saturday Night | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Washington Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leavenworth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Timberline | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Leavenworth | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | 0 |
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Saturday | 0 |
LT = less than; WE or Water equivalent is the liquid water equivalent of melted snow in hundredths of inches. As a rough approximation 1 inch of snow = about .10 inches WE, or 10 inches of snow = about 1 inch WE.
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | VAR 0 - 10 | WSW 0 - 10 | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 0 - 10 | WSW 0 - 10 | W 10 - 20 | W 5 - 15 | W 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | WSW 5 - 15 | SW 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 | SW 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | W 5 - 15 | W 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WSW 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WSW 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WNW 15 - 25 | WNW 15 - 25 | WNW 20 - 30 | WNW 20 - 30 | NW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | WNW 15 - 25 | NW 15 - 25 | NW 25 - 35 | NW 25 - 35 | NNW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Morning | WNW 30 - 40 | WNW 25 - 35 | NW 35 - 50 | NW 35 - 50 | NNW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 30 - 40 | W 30 - 40 | WNW 35 - 50 | WNW 30 - 40 | NW 25 - 35 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | WNW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 30 - 40 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | NW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Morning | WNW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Afternoon | W 30 - 40 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | NW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Morning | NW 35 - 50 |
| Thursday Afternoon | WNW 35 - 50 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | NW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Morning | NW 35 - 50 |
| Thursday Afternoon | WNW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | NNW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Morning | NNW 30 - 40 |
| Thursday Afternoon | NW 25 - 35 |
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.
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
Friday's approaching front will be weakening as it arrives Friday night. The front should bring a sharp cool-down and a quick shot of moisture to the region with less 0.5" of water equivalent expected for most NWAC stations, with slightly more expected at Mt. Baker. Another ridge of high pressure returns Saturday afternoon and hangs around through Sunday. Expect clearing skies and a mild day with above-freezing temperatures into the alpine. However, E flow Saturday night and Sunday is likely to tap into a shallow cold-air pool and keep pass-level temperatures significantly cooler and in some cases below freezing.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Night | Snow Level | 2500' - 3500' | 4500' - 6000' | 7500' - 9000' | |
| Saturday | Snow Level | 2000' - 3000' | 3000' - 4000' | 3500' - 4500' | |
| Saturday Night | Freezing Level | 3000' - 4000' | 4000' - 5500' | 6500' - 7500' | * |
| Sunday | Freezing Level | 4500' - 6500' | 5500' - 7500' | 8000' - 9000' | * |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 4500' - 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 4500' - 6000' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 5500' - 7500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 7500' - 9000' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 6500' - 7500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 8000' - 9000' (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.
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Previous forecast from Nov 25, 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.