An occluded front passed over the region early this morning, bringing up to 4" of snow with a band of light snow. The frontal passage allows a large trough with organized bands of precipitation to move into the region. Southerly winds have turned slightly more southwesterly and E flow through the mountain gaps should continue to ease on Sunday. The east side cold pool should also weaken as slightly milder Pacific air moves into the region. Expect bands of organized heavier snow showers with lighter mountain-induced snow in between for the Cascades west slopes and passes with lighter snow showers spilling over onto the east slopes.
The SW flow should favor the volcanoes on Sunday. We expect 6-12" for Mt Baker and Paradise, with 8-12" for Mt. Hood and around 4-6" for the Cascade Passes.
As the trough centers on the region Sunday night, winds shift westerly. Expect another 2-8" of snow for the west slopes and Cascade Passes by Sunday morning.
On Monday, the trough shifts east and light snow shower activity decreases, but several more inches of snow are possible.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
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Sunday
Bands of light rain and snow with moderate intensity at times. Gradual cooling. Decreasing light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light snow showers. Light ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Bands of moderate snow showers, heavy at times. Decreasing light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light snow showers. Light ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Bands of light snow showers with moderate intensity at times. Decreasing light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light snow showers. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Moderate snow showers, heavy at times (Paradise) and light snow showers (Crystal, White Pass). Decreasing light to moderate winds.
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.
The 5000’ temperature forecast does not imply a trend over the 12 hr period and only represents the max and min temperatures within a 12 hr period in the zone. The 6-hr snow level forecast, the forecast discussion, and weather forecast sections may add detail regarding temperature trends.
The snow level forecast represents the general snow level over a 6 hr time period. Freezing levels are forecast when precipitation is not expected.
*Easterly or offshore flow is highlighted with an asterisk when we expect relatively cool east winds in the major Cascade Passes. Easterly flow will often lead to temperature inversions and is a key variable for forecasting precipitation type in the Cascade Passes. Strong easterly flow events can affect terrain on a more regional scale.
Ridgeline winds are the average wind speed and direction over a 6 hr time period.
The wind forecast represents an elevation range instead of a single elevation slice. The elevation range overlaps with the near and above treeline elevation bands in the avalanche forecast and differs per zone.
Wind direction indicates the direction the wind originates or comes from on the 16-point compass rose.
Water Equivalent (WE) is the liquid water equivalent of all precipitation types; rain, snow, ice pellets, etc., forecast to the hundredth of an inch at specific locations. To use WE as a proxy for snowfall amounts, start with a snow to water ratio of 10:1 (10 inches of snow = 1 inch WE). Temperatures at or near freezing will generally have a lower ratio (heavy wet snow) and very cold temperatures can have a much higher ratio (dry fluffy snow).