Issued: 6:40 AM PDT Monday, March 15, 2021
by Dallas Glass

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I

Weather Synopsis

Most weather stations show temperatures 10 to 20 degrees colder this morning than they did 24hrs ago. Brrrr! A few lingering flurries continue to fall in the Olympics and West Slopes of the Cascades. For most mountain locations, you will start the day partly to mostly cloudy with light to moderate winds. Isolated and short-lived showers could bring a few snowflakes to areas south of I90 as a developing upper-level low drifts down to Oregon. As the day progresses, skies should continue to clear and result in mostly sunny weather around the Pacific Northwest. A few low-level clouds may remain in the mountain passes and west-side valleys during the day until we fully dry out overnight. 

A high-pressure ridge over the eastern Pacific will dominate our weather for the next several days. Skies should continue clearing overnight. This will result in a chilly evening with fog possible in the mountain valleys and passes. On Tuesday, temperatures will quickly rise as set up for a nice warm sunny day. 

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
Monday Mostly sunny. Isolated flurries in the morning.
Monday Night Clear and cold. Valley fog possible.
Monday Partly cloudy in the morning becoming mostly sunny.
Monday Night Mostly clear. Valley fog possible.
Monday Low clouds in the morning with flurries possible. Becoming mostly sunny.
Monday Night Mostly clear with valley fog possible.
Monday Mostly cloudy in the morning with isolated snow showers. Moderate NW winds decreasing. Clearing in the afternoon.
Monday Night Mostly clear with fog possible in the valleys and passes.
Monday Mostly cloudy in the morning. Clearing in the afternoon, especially east of the pass. Light to moderate W winds.
Monday Night Continued clearing and cold. Fog possible at the pass. Light and variable winds.
Monday Mostly cloudy in the morning with isolated flurries possible. Clearing in the afternoon especially east of the pass. Light to moderate W winds
Monday Night Continued clearing and cold. Fog possible at the pass. Light NW winds.
Monday Partly cloudy in the morning becoming mostly sunny.
Monday Night Clear with valley fog possible.
Monday Partly cloudy becoming mostly sunny.
Monday Night Clear with fog possible in the mountain valleys and passes.
Monday Partly cloudy in the morning with isolated flurries. Clearing in the afternoon.
Monday Night Clear with valley fog possible
Monday Mostly cloudy morning with isolated snow showers. Moderate WNW winds decreasing. Becoming partly sunny in the afternoon.
Monday Night Partly cloudy with isolated snow showers in the evening. Clearing with valley fog possible.

Precipitation (in)

Monday Monday Night Tuesday
5 am - 5 pm 5 pm - 5 am 5 am - 5 pm
Hurricane Ridge 0 0 0
Mt Baker Ski Area 0 0 0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass 0 0 0
Stevens Pass 0 0 0
Snoqualmie Pass 0 0 0
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 0 0
Paradise LT 0.10 0 0
White Pass 0 0 0
Washington Pass 0 0 0
Mission Ridge 0 0 0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head 0 0 0
Tieton River - Darland Mt. 0 0 0
Mt Hood Meadows 0 LT 0.10 0
Timberline LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Monday LT 0.10
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Monday LT 0.10
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
White Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Washington Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Mission Ridge Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Tieton River - Darland Mt. Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday 0
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Monday LT 0.10
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday 0

Snow Level (ft)

Monday Morning Monday Afternoon Monday Evening Monday Night Tuesday Morning Tuesday Afternoon
Olympics 500' 3000' 1500' 1500' 2000' 4000'
West North 1000' 3500' 1500' 1000' 1500' 4000'
West Central 1500' 3500' 1500' 1000' 1500' 4000'
West South 1500' 3500' 1500' 1000' 1500' 5000'
Stevens Pass 1500' 3500' 2000' 1000' 1500' 4500'
Snoqualmie Pass 1500' 3500' 1500' 1000' 1500' 4500'
East North 1500' 4000' 2000' 1000' 2000' 5000'
East Central 2000' 4500' 2500' 1500' 2500' 5500'
East South 2000' 4500' 2500' 1500' 2500' 5500'
Mt. Hood 1500' 3500' 1500' 1000' 2000' 5000'
Olympics Elevation
Monday Morning 500'
Monday Afternoon 3000'
Monday Evening 1500'
Monday Night 1500'
Tuesday Morning 2000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
West North Elevation
Monday Morning 1000'
Monday Afternoon 3500'
Monday Evening 1500'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 1500'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
West Central Elevation
Monday Morning 1500'
Monday Afternoon 3500'
Monday Evening 1500'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 1500'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
West South Elevation
Monday Morning 1500'
Monday Afternoon 3500'
Monday Evening 1500'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 1500'
Tuesday Afternoon 5000'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Monday Morning 1500'
Monday Afternoon 3500'
Monday Evening 2000'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 1500'
Tuesday Afternoon 4500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Morning 1500'
Monday Afternoon 3500'
Monday Evening 1500'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 1500'
Tuesday Afternoon 4500'
East North Elevation
Monday Morning 1500'
Monday Afternoon 4000'
Monday Evening 2000'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 2000'
Tuesday Afternoon 5000'
East Central Elevation
Monday Morning 2000'
Monday Afternoon 4500'
Monday Evening 2500'
Monday Night 1500'
Tuesday Morning 2500'
Tuesday Afternoon 5500'
East South Elevation
Monday Morning 2000'
Monday Afternoon 4500'
Monday Evening 2500'
Monday Night 1500'
Tuesday Morning 2500'
Tuesday Afternoon 5500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Morning 1500'
Monday Afternoon 3500'
Monday Evening 1500'
Monday Night 1000'
Tuesday Morning 2000'
Tuesday Afternoon 5000'

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Monday Monday Night
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 25 / 13 23 / 16
West North 26 / 18 24 / 17
West Central 22 / 19 21 / 16
West South 24 / 19 22 / 14
Stevens Pass 24 / 20 22 / 16
Snoqualmie Pass 21 / 19 19 / 15
East North 31 / 17 29 / 20
East Central 28 / 17 24 / 18
East South 28 / 13 25 / 16
Mt. Hood 25 / 16 21 / 14
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 25 / 13
Monday Night 23 / 16
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 26 / 18
Monday Night 24 / 17
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 22 / 19
Monday Night 21 / 16
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 24 / 19
Monday Night 22 / 14
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 24 / 20
Monday Night 22 / 16
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 21 / 19
Monday Night 19 / 15
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 31 / 17
Monday Night 29 / 20
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 28 / 17
Monday Night 24 / 18
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 28 / 13
Monday Night 25 / 16
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 25 / 16
Monday Night 21 / 14

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

Monday Morning Monday Afternoon Monday Evening Monday Night
Olympics N 0-10 N 0-10 NE 0-10 N 0-10
West North VAR 0-10 VAR 0-10 VAR 0-10 VAR 0-10
West Central N 5-15 N 5-15 N 5-15 N 0-10
West South NW 15-25 NW 5-15 N 0-10 N 0-10
Stevens Pass W 10-20 W 5-15 NNW 5-15 VAR 0-10
Snoqualmie Pass W 15-25 W 10-20 NW 5-15 NNW 5-15
East North N 5-15 N 5-15 N 5-15 VAR 0-10
East Central N 5-15 N 5-15 NNE 5-15 VAR 0-10
East South N 5-15 N 5-15 NE 5-15 NE 0-10
Mt. Hood WNW 10-20 WNW 5-15 NNE 5-15 NE 5-15
Olympics Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning N 0-10
Monday Afternoon N 0-10
Monday Evening NE 0-10
Monday Night N 0-10
West North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning VAR 0-10
Monday Afternoon VAR 0-10
Monday Evening VAR 0-10
Monday Night VAR 0-10
West Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning N 5-15
Monday Afternoon N 5-15
Monday Evening N 5-15
Monday Night N 0-10
West South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning NW 15-25
Monday Afternoon NW 5-15
Monday Evening N 0-10
Monday Night N 0-10
Stevens Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning W 10-20
Monday Afternoon W 5-15
Monday Evening NNW 5-15
Monday Night VAR 0-10
Snoqualmie Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning W 15-25
Monday Afternoon W 10-20
Monday Evening NW 5-15
Monday Night NNW 5-15
East North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning N 5-15
Monday Afternoon N 5-15
Monday Evening N 5-15
Monday Night VAR 0-10
East Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning N 5-15
Monday Afternoon N 5-15
Monday Evening NNE 5-15
Monday Night VAR 0-10
East South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning N 5-15
Monday Afternoon N 5-15
Monday Evening NE 5-15
Monday Night NE 0-10
Mt. Hood Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Morning WNW 10-20
Monday Afternoon WNW 5-15
Monday Evening NNE 5-15
Monday Night NE 5-15

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I

Previous forecast from Mar 14, 2021

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).

The label LT, is shorthand for ‘less than’.