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 Wednesday
Showers continue to linger in many of the usual places Wednesday afternoon, and spots like Mt Baker, the Mountain Loop, Stevens, and Snoqualmie Pass continue to squeeze out a few more drops of precipitation. Showers should taper off this evening with a very weak Puget Sound Convergence zone holding the last of the precipitation near the Passes. A short-lived high-pressure ridge will slide over the region Wednesday night and Thursday giving the mountains a chance to dry out. Expect winds to shift to the east overnight as the ridge travels into central Washington. With drier air in place, you should see partly cloudy skies west of the Cascades and mostly sunny skies further east Thursday.
Our next major weather maker should begin to spread high clouds over the southern and western portions of the forecast region late Thursday afternoon. A low-pressure trough will approach from the west, but the system really falls apart before it finally reaches to mountains. Light to moderate snow showers will spread from the SW to the NE starting late Thursday night into Friday. This system just doesn't look strong enough to push much precipitation to trailheads east of the Cascades, and a bit more southerly direction in the winds doesn't favor orographic precipitation. Consequently, expect only modest snow totals, with a few spots receiving 2-6 inches. On the upside, unlike our last storm, all locations should receive snow instead of rain.
Weather Forecast
Hurricane Ridge
| Wednesday Night | Partly cloudy. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Partly cloudy becoming mostly cloudy in the afternoon. |
Mt. Baker
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with some clearing. Isolated snow showers in the evening. |
| Thursday | Partly to mostly cloudy. Southeasterly winds increasing in the afternoon. |
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds becoming easterly. |
| Thursday | Partly to mostly sunny. Light easterly winds. |
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy. Puget Sound Convergence Zone in the evening with light rain and snow showers. Light winds becoming easterly. |
| Thursday | Partly cloudy with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Light to moderate easterly winds. |
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
| Wednesday Night | Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming easterly. |
| Thursday | Partly cloudy with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Light to moderate easterly winds. |
Mt. Hood
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Winds becoming easterly. |
| Thursday | Increasing clouds throughout the day. Isolated showers possible late in the afternoon. Light to moderate southeasterly winds. |
Issued: 1:42 PM PST Wednesday, December 9, 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 | 3500' | 3500' | 2500' | 2500' | 3000' | 3500' | 3500' | 3500' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level * | 3500' | 2000' | 1000' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' | 2500' | 3500' |
| Thursday Morning | Freezing Level * | 4000' | 2500' | 1500' | 2500' | 2500' | 2500' | 3000' | 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Freezing Level * | 4000' | 3500' | 2500' | 3000' | 3500' | 4000' | 4000' | 4000' |
| Thursday Evening | Snow Level | 2500' | 2500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' | 3000' | 3000' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | 2500' | 2000' | 1500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' | 2500' |
| Friday Morning | Snow Level | 2000' | 2000' | 1500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | 2500' | 2500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' | 3000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 1000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Freezing Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' |
* 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 | Wednesday | Wednesday Night | Wednesday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | 0 | 0 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | 0 | LT 0.10 | 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Leavenworth | 0 | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | 0 | 0 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0 | 0 | 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | 0 | 0 | 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.10 |
| Leavenworth | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Wednesday | 0 |
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 |
| Wednesday | LT 0.25 |
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: 1:42 PM PST Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | S 5 - 15 | SSW 5 - 15 | W 15 - 25 | W 5 - 15 | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | SSE 5 - 15 | SE 5 - 15 | ESE 5 - 15 | E 5 - 15 | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | S 5 - 15 | E 5 - 15 | ESE 10 - 20 | E 10 - 20 | SE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | S 5 - 15 | SSE 15 - 25 | ESE 10 - 20 | ESE 5 - 15 | VAR 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | S 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | S 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | E 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | E 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | VAR 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | S 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | S 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | E 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | E 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | SSE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Morning | SE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | VAR 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NW 15 - 25 | NW 15 - 25 | NW 25 - 35 | NNW 30 - 40 | NNW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | SW 20 - 30 | SW 15 - 25 | SSW 15 - 25 | SSW 15 - 25 | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 20 - 30 | SSW 10 - 20 | SSW 10 - 20 | SSW 15 - 25 | SW 20 - 30 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | SW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 20 - 30 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NNW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | NNW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 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.
Issued: 1:42 PM PST Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Extended Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Wednesday
The active weather pattern should continue into the long-term forecast. Showers may linger along the west slopes of the Cascades Friday night, but in general, the region should start to dry out. A second short-lived high-pressure ridge builds in behind the exiting trough bringing us mostly sunny skies and a bit warmer weather for Saturday. Don't get too used to the blue sky. A second, stronger storm should begin spinning waves of moisture into the Pacific Northwest starting Saturday evening. Weather models are beginning to come into agreement regarding this system. While it seems to draw in warmer air and cause snowlevels to rise slightly, a solid source of moisture could favor significant snowfall. We'll need to keep our eyes on this one for the next couple of days to see how the details shake out.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Night | Freezing Level | 500' - 200' | 1000' - 2500' | 3000' - 4000' | * |
| Saturday | Freezing Level | 500' - 2500' | 500' - 2500' | 3000' - 4500' | * |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | 1000' - 2500' | 1500' - 3000' | 4500' - 5500' | * |
| Sunday | Snow Level | 2000' - 3500' | 2500' - 3500' | 4000' - 5500' | * |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 500' - 200' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 500' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 1000' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 500' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 1500' - 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 3000' - 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5500' (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 Dec 9, 2020
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