Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the northwest, not a shredder was stirring not even a guest. The snowshoes were sat by the front door with care, in hopes that Saint Nicolas soon would be there. The sledders were nestled all snug in their beds, as visions of powder days danced in their heads. And boarders in their beanies, and I in my cap, were just settle down for a long winter's nap. When off of our coast there rose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Down to my office, I flew like a flash, turned on my computer, and checked my favorite stash. And what to my wondering eyes did appear, but fresh snow for Christmas and all of its cheer.
While you won't wake up to fresh snow tomorrow morning, an approaching storm system should give all of our mountain trailheads a white Christmas before sunset. A weakening front will work its way inland Christmas day with precipitation spreading across the region by late morning. While this first storm doesn't look like a big snow producer, the orientation of the system should allow showers to easily spill over the mountains to locations east of the Cascades. The bulk of shower activity focuses from Highway 2 and south, with the volcanoes from Mt Rainier to Mt Hood seeing the highest snow accumulations.
Just as the first system exists, a second low-pressure trough digs into the region reinvigorating shower activity for Saturday. Weather models continue to struggle with how much additional precipitation we can expect. This second storm seems to favor the west-slope and pass locations, but we may need to wait another day to see how the specifics of this storm iron out.
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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Thursday
Night
Increasing clouds. An isolated shower is possible. Strong southerly winds.
Friday
Cloudy with rain and snow showers. Moderate southwesterly winds.
Thursday
Night
Becoming cloudy. Strong southerly winds.
Friday
Cloudy with snow showers. Moderate southerly winds.
Thursday
Night
Becoming cloudy. Windy near the Cascade crest.
Friday
Cloudy with snow showers.
Thursday
Night
Becoming cloudy. Windy near the Cascade crest
Friday
Cloudy with snow. Heaviest near the volcanoes.
Thursday
Night
Becoming cloudy. Cool easterly flow.
Friday
Cloudy with snow showers. Cool southeasterly winds.
Thursday
Night
Becoming cloudy. Moderate southeasterly winds.
Friday
Cloudy with snow showers. Moderate southeasterly winds.
Thursday
Night
Becoming mostly cloudy. Strong temperature inversions.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with snow showers. Strong temperature inversions in the morning.
Thursday
Night
Becoming partly to mostly cloudy. Strong temperature inversions.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with snow showers. Strong temperature inversions in the morning.
Look for showers to linger into Saturday night, but by Sunday, a high-pressure ridge builds over the northwest returning us to mostly sunny skies and dry conditions. This ridge will deflect a series of approaching storms, pushing the general storm track down into California. As we move towards the end of the extended period, lots of uncertainty creeps into the weather forecast. But, in the meantime, enjoy the fresh snow and sunshine.
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).