An upper-level shortwave dropping towards us in cool NW flow aloft will pack a bigger punch later tonight through Friday morning. This upper-level feature will ramp up the already significant snow shower and strong winds across the region, with 100 mph gusts possible at many stations through Friday morning. Convergence zone enhancement currently blasting into the central Cascades in Skagit and Snohomish counties will begin to shift south a bit toward I-90 overnight and Mt Rainier toward Friday morning. A secondary area of convergence will likely form downwind of Vancouver Island mid-day Friday as the low-level wind field becomes more northwesterly. Mt Hood will get hit the hardest later tonight through Friday as the shortwave brings the moisture further south.
This pattern will continue through Friday evening with showers tapering off Saturday morning. Plenty of low level clouds should hang around Saturday, preventing a full-scale clearing trend. Winds will become relatively light on Saturday.
Expect several feet of snow, 2-5 ft, by Friday night along with the west slopes of the Cascades and Mt Hood with snowfall totals tapering further east of the Cascade crest in part due to strong downsloping.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
Use dropdown to select your zone
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate snow showers. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers. Strong ridgeline winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate to occasionally heavy snow showers. Strong winds.
Friday
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered showers in the afternoon. Strong ridgeline winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate to heavy snow showers. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with moderate snow showers. Strong ridgeline winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate to heavy snow showers. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with moderate snow showers. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds decreasing in the afternoon. Heaviest showers Paradise area.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate to heavy snow showers. Strong Pass level westerly winds, winds strong to extreme at ridgeline.
Friday
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers. Strong ridgeline and Pass level winds decreasing in the afternoon
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate to heavy snow showers. Strong Pass level westerly winds, winds strong to extreme at ridgeline.
Friday
Cloudy with moderate snow showers. Strong Pass level westerly winds, winds strong to extreme at ridgeline, decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered showers in the afternoon. Strong ridgeline winds decreasing in the morning.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers. Showers heaviest near the Cascade crest. Extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered showers in the afternoon. Showers heaviest near the Cascade crest. Extreme ridgeline winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers. Showers heaviest near the Cascade crest. Extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered showers in the afternoon. Showers heaviest near the Cascade crest. Extreme ridgeline winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with moderate snow showers increasing after midnight to moderate to heavy showers. Extreme ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with moderate to heavy snow showers. Extreme ridgeline winds.
Issued: 2:17 PM PST Thursday, February 25, 2021
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
Friday
Friday Night
Saturday
4 pm - 4 am
4 am - 4 pm
4 pm - 4 am
4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge
0.50
LT 0.25
0
0
Mt Baker Ski Area
0.75 -1.00
0.25
LT 0.10
0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
1.00 - 1.50
0.50 - 0.75
0.25 - 0.50
0
Stevens Pass
1.00 - 1.50
0.50
LT 0.25
LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass
1.00 - 1.50
0.50 - 0.75
0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.10
Crystal Mt
0.75
0.50
0.25
0
Paradise
1.00 - 1.50
0.75 -1.00
0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.10
White Pass
1.00
0.50
LT 0.25
LT 0.10
Washington Pass
0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.25
LT 0.10
0
Mission Ridge
LT 0.25
LT 0.10
0
0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
0.75
0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.25
0
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
0.50
0.50
LT 0.25
0
Mt Hood Meadows
1.00 - 1.50
1.00
0.50 - 0.75
LT 0.10
Timberline
1.50
1.00 - 1.50
0.75
LT 0.10
Hurricane Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0.50
Friday
LT 0.25
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Mt Baker Ski Area
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0.75 -1.00
Friday
0.25
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.00 - 1.50
Friday
0.50 - 0.75
Friday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Saturday
0
Stevens Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.00 - 1.50
Friday
0.50
Friday Night
LT 0.25
Saturday
LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.00 - 1.50
Friday
0.50 - 0.75
Friday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Saturday
LT 0.10
Crystal Mt
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0.75
Friday
0.50
Friday Night
0.25
Saturday
0
Paradise
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.00 - 1.50
Friday
0.75 -1.00
Friday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Saturday
LT 0.10
White Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.00
Friday
0.50
Friday Night
LT 0.25
Saturday
LT 0.10
Washington Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0.25 - 0.50
Friday
LT 0.25
Friday Night
LT 0.10
Saturday
0
Mission Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
LT 0.25
Friday
LT 0.10
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0.75
Friday
0.25 - 0.50
Friday Night
LT 0.25
Saturday
0
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0.50
Friday
0.50
Friday Night
LT 0.25
Saturday
0
Mt Hood Meadows
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.00 - 1.50
Friday
1.00
Friday Night
0.50 - 0.75
Saturday
LT 0.10
Timberline
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
1.50
Friday
1.00 - 1.50
Friday Night
0.75
Saturday
LT 0.10
Issued: 2:17 PM PST Thursday, February 25, 2021
Snow Level (ft)
Thursday
Evening
Thursday
Night
Friday
Morning
Friday
Afternoon
Friday
Evening
Friday
Night
Saturday
Morning
Saturday
Afternoon
Olympics
1500'
1500'
1500'
1500'
1000'
1000'
1500'
3000'
West North
1500'
1500'
1500'
1500'
1000'
500'
1500'
2000'
West Central
2000'
2000'
1500'
1500'
1000'
500'
1500'
2500'
West South
2000'
2000'
1500'
1500'
1000'
500'
1500'
3000'
Stevens Pass
1500'
1500'
1500'
1500'
1000'
500'
1500'
2000'
Snoqualmie Pass
1500'
2000'
1500'
1500'
1000'
500'
1500'
2000'
East North
1000'
1000'
1500'
1500'
1000'
0
1500'
2500'
East Central
2000'
2000'
1500'
2000'
1000'
500'
1500'
3000'
East South
2000'
2000'
2000'
2000'
1000'
500'
1500'
3000'
Mt. Hood
2500'
2500'
2000'
2000'
1500'
1000'
1500'
3000'
Olympics
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
1500'
Thursday
Night
1500'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
1000'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
West North
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
1500'
Thursday
Night
1500'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2000'
West Central
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
2000'
Thursday
Night
2000'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2500'
West South
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
2000'
Thursday
Night
2000'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
Stevens Pass
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
1500'
Thursday
Night
1500'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2000'
Snoqualmie Pass
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
1500'
Thursday
Night
2000'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2000'
East North
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
1000'
Thursday
Night
1000'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
1500'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
0'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
2500'
East Central
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
2000'
Thursday
Night
2000'
Friday
Morning
1500'
Friday
Afternoon
2000'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
East South
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
2000'
Thursday
Night
2000'
Friday
Morning
2000'
Friday
Afternoon
2000'
Friday
Evening
1000'
Friday
Night
500'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
Mt. Hood
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
2500'
Thursday
Night
2500'
Friday
Morning
2000'
Friday
Afternoon
2000'
Friday
Evening
1500'
Friday
Night
1000'
Saturday
Morning
1500'
Saturday
Afternoon
3000'
Issued: 2:17 PM PST Thursday, February 25, 2021
5000' Temperatures (°F)
Thursday
Night
Friday
Max / Min
Max / Min
Olympics
23 / 19
22 / 19
West North
21 / 20
21 / 19
West Central
22 / 20
20 / 19
West South
24 / 22
23 / 19
Stevens Pass
22 / 20
21 / 19
Snoqualmie Pass
23 / 20
20 / 19
East North
21 / 19
22 / 17
East Central
22 / 20
21 / 18
East South
24 / 22
23 / 19
Mt. Hood
25 / 22
25 / 20
Olympics
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
23 / 19
Friday
22 / 19
West North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
21 / 20
Friday
21 / 19
West Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
22 / 20
Friday
20 / 19
West South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
24 / 22
Friday
23 / 19
Stevens Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
22 / 20
Friday
21 / 19
Snoqualmie Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
23 / 20
Friday
20 / 19
East North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
21 / 19
Friday
22 / 17
East Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
22 / 20
Friday
21 / 18
East South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
24 / 22
Friday
23 / 19
Mt. Hood
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
25 / 22
Friday
25 / 20
Issued: 2:17 PM PST Thursday, February 25, 2021
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
Thursday
Night
Friday
Morning
Friday
Afternoon
Olympics
W 30-40
W 35-50
NW 25-35
WNW 20-30
West North
W 20-30
W 25-35
WNW 20-30
W 20-30
West Central
W 30-40
W 30-40
WNW 30-40
WNW 20-30
West South
W 30-40
W 40-55
WNW 35-50
WNW 30-40
Stevens Pass
W 35-50
W 35-50
WNW 30-40
WSW 20-30
Snoqualmie Pass
WNW 35-50
W 40-55
W 35-50
WNW 25-35
East North
W 35-50
W 35-50
NW 20-30
WNW 15-25
East Central
W 40-55
W 45-65
WNW 40-55
WNW 25-35
East South
W 35-50
W 40-55
WNW 40-55
WNW 20-30
Mt. Hood
W 40-55
WSW 45-65
WNW 40-55
WNW 35-50
Olympics
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
30-40
Thursday
Night
W
35-50
Friday
Morning
NW
25-35
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
20-30
West North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
20-30
Thursday
Night
W
25-35
Friday
Morning
WNW
20-30
Friday
Afternoon
W
20-30
West Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
30-40
Thursday
Night
W
30-40
Friday
Morning
WNW
30-40
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
20-30
West South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
30-40
Thursday
Night
W
40-55
Friday
Morning
WNW
35-50
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
30-40
Stevens Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
35-50
Thursday
Night
W
35-50
Friday
Morning
WNW
30-40
Friday
Afternoon
WSW
20-30
Snoqualmie Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
WNW
35-50
Thursday
Night
W
40-55
Friday
Morning
W
35-50
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
25-35
East North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
35-50
Thursday
Night
W
35-50
Friday
Morning
NW
20-30
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
15-25
East Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
40-55
Thursday
Night
W
45-65
Friday
Morning
WNW
40-55
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
25-35
East South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
35-50
Thursday
Night
W
40-55
Friday
Morning
WNW
40-55
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
20-30
Mt. Hood
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
W
40-55
Thursday
Night
WSW
45-65
Friday
Morning
WNW
40-55
Friday
Afternoon
WNW
35-50
Issued: 2:17 PM PST Thursday, February 25, 2021
Extended Weather Synopsis
Warm frontal moisture should ride over the top of flat upper level ridging on Sunday, making for a mostly cloudy day with a chance of light rain or snow over Washington State with drier conditions possible for Mt Hood. Forecast models are in disagreement if we'll get a full dry day on Monday or if the northern branch of a split flow will bring another system into the region.
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).