We're in for a quiet few days on the weather front. A high-pressure ridge is already beginning to build over the region this afternoon and push any remaining showers down into Oregon. This trend will continue overnight. Areas close to Mt Hood and Mt St Helens could see precipitation hang on into the evening hours, but eventually the high pressure will win, and dry conditions will prevail across our entire region. As skies clear, particularly from about Mt Rainier northward, you may find temperature inversions overnight and into the morning hours. This should result in some low-level clouds and fog in the mountain valleys and passes.
Warm air will start to seep into the Pacific Northwest late Thursday night but should arrive in earnest on Friday. This will be the most impactful weather factor in our near-term forecast. Freezing levels will peak in the afternoon around 7500-10000 ft and should remain nearly that high well into the weekend. While warm and dry weather easily describes Friday's forecast, the cloud cover will be a bit trickier. Passing bands of high clouds may cross the northern portion half of the region as a few weak disturbances head along the ridge into Canada. For locations further south and east, expect mostly clear skies. This should once again allow temperature inversions to develop in the mountain valleys and passes Friday night into Saturday morning.
A few sprinkles may clip the north Cascades first thing Saturday, but generally, this appears to be yet another warm and dry day. The only real change in the weather is a flattening high-pressure ridge could allow a few additional clouds into the area for the weekend.
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
Mostly clear and calm. Warming.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm with light to moderate SSW winds in the morning decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Mostly clear. Temperature inversions, low clouds, and fog possible in mountain valleys.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm with some passing high clouds. SSW winds increasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Mostly clear. Temperature inversions, low clouds, and fog possible in mountain valleys.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm with some passing high clouds. SSW winds increasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Partly cloudy with isolated showers near Mt St Helens and Mt Adams. Mostly clear north of Hwy 12. Temperature inversions, low clouds, and fog possible near the mountain valleys and passes.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm. Passing high clouds possible.
Thursday
Night
Mostly clear. Light E flow developing overnight. Temperature inversions, low clouds, and fog possible.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm with light easterly flow. Passing high clouds possible.
Thursday
Night
Mostly clear. Light E flow developing overnight. Temperature inversions, low clouds, and fog possible.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm with light easterly flow. Passing high clouds possible.
Thursday
Night
Mostly clear. Temperature inversions with patchy low-clouds in the mountain valleys and passes.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm with passing high clouds.
Thursday
Night
Mostly clear. Temperature inversion, with patchy low clouds in the mountain valleys and passes.
Friday
Sunny and warm. Light to moderate SSW winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Partly to mostly clear. A few sprinkles near Mt Adams. Temperatures inversion and patchy low clouds possible particularly north of Hwy 12.
Friday
Sunny and warm. A few high clouds in the morning.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with rain and snow showers. Becoming partly cloudy. Moderate winds decreasing.
Friday
Mostly sunny and warm.
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Thursday, January 13, 2022
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
0
0
0
Mt Baker Ski Area
0
0
0
LT 0.10
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
0
0
0
0
Stevens Pass
0
0
0
0
Snoqualmie Pass
0
0
0
0
Crystal Mt
0
0
0
0
Paradise
0
0
0
0
White Pass
0
0
0
0
Washington Pass
0
0
0
0
Mission Ridge
0
0
0
0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
0
0
0
0
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
0
0
0
0
Mt Hood Meadows
LT 0.25
0
0
0
Timberline
LT 0.25
0
0
0
Hurricane Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Mt Baker Ski Area
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
LT 0.10
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Stevens Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Snoqualmie Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Crystal Mt
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Paradise
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
White Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Washington Pass
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Mission Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
0
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Mt Hood Meadows
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
LT 0.25
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Timberline
Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night
LT 0.25
Friday
0
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Thursday, January 13, 2022
Snow Level (ft)
Thursday
Evening
Thursday
Night*
Friday
Morning*
Friday
Afternoon*
Friday
Evening*
Friday
Night*
Saturday
Morning
Saturday
Afternoon
Olympics
8000'
8500'
8500'
9000'
8000'
7500'
6500'
6500'
West North
5500'
6500'
7000'
7500'
6000'
5000'
5000'
5000'
West Central
5500'
6500'
7500'
8500'
6500'
5000'
5000'
5500'
West South
5500'
6500'
7500'
9500'
7000'
6500'
6500'
7000'
Stevens Pass
5500'
6500'
7500'
8000'
6000'
5500'
5000'
5500'
Snoqualmie Pass
5500'
6500'
7500'
8500'
6500'
6000'
5500'
6000'
East North
4500'
5500'
6500'
7500'
6000'
5500'
5000'
5500'
East Central
5500'
6000'
6500'
7500'
6500'
5500'
5500'
6500'
East South
5000'
6000'
6500'
8500'
7000'
6500'
6500'
7500'
Mt. Hood
5500'
7000'
8000'
10000'
8000'
7500'
7500'
9000'
Olympics
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
8000'
Thursday
Night*
8500'
Friday
Morning*
8500'
Friday
Afternoon*
9000'
Friday
Evening*
8000'
Friday
Night*
7500'
Saturday
Morning
6500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6500'
West North
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
6500'
Friday
Morning*
7000'
Friday
Afternoon*
7500'
Friday
Evening*
6000'
Friday
Night*
5000'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
5000'
West Central
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
6500'
Friday
Morning*
7500'
Friday
Afternoon*
8500'
Friday
Evening*
6500'
Friday
Night*
5000'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
5500'
West South
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
6500'
Friday
Morning*
7500'
Friday
Afternoon*
9500'
Friday
Evening*
7000'
Friday
Night*
6500'
Saturday
Morning
6500'
Saturday
Afternoon
7000'
Stevens Pass
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
6500'
Friday
Morning*
7500'
Friday
Afternoon*
8000'
Friday
Evening*
6000'
Friday
Night*
5500'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
5500'
Snoqualmie Pass
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
6500'
Friday
Morning*
7500'
Friday
Afternoon*
8500'
Friday
Evening*
6500'
Friday
Night*
6000'
Saturday
Morning
5500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
East North
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
4500'
Thursday
Night*
5500'
Friday
Morning*
6500'
Friday
Afternoon*
7500'
Friday
Evening*
6000'
Friday
Night*
5500'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
5500'
East Central
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
6000'
Friday
Morning*
6500'
Friday
Afternoon*
7500'
Friday
Evening*
6500'
Friday
Night*
5500'
Saturday
Morning
5500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6500'
East South
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5000'
Thursday
Night*
6000'
Friday
Morning*
6500'
Friday
Afternoon*
8500'
Friday
Evening*
7000'
Friday
Night*
6500'
Saturday
Morning
6500'
Saturday
Afternoon
7500'
Mt. Hood
Elevation
Thursday
Evening
5500'
Thursday
Night*
7000'
Friday
Morning*
8000'
Friday
Afternoon*
10000'
Friday
Evening*
8000'
Friday
Night*
7500'
Saturday
Morning
7500'
Saturday
Afternoon
9000'
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Thursday, January 13, 2022
5000' Temperatures (°F)
Thursday
Night
Friday
Max / Min
Max / Min
Olympics
35 / 28
37 / 31
West North
34 / 26
34 / 30
West Central
35 / 29
38 / 30
West South
39 / 28
39 / 29
Stevens Pass
37 / 29
37 / 28
Snoqualmie Pass
36 / 29
38 / 28
East North
36 / 26
38 / 28
East Central
37 / 29
39 / 29
East South
37 / 29
37 / 29
Mt. Hood
38 / 28
39 / 29
Olympics
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
35 / 28
Friday
37 / 31
West North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
34 / 26
Friday
34 / 30
West Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
35 / 29
Friday
38 / 30
West South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
39 / 28
Friday
39 / 29
Stevens Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
37 / 29
Friday
37 / 28
Snoqualmie Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
36 / 29
Friday
38 / 28
East North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
36 / 26
Friday
38 / 28
East Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
37 / 29
Friday
39 / 29
East South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
37 / 29
Friday
37 / 29
Mt. Hood
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Thursday
Night
38 / 28
Friday
39 / 29
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Thursday, January 13, 2022
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
Thursday
Night
Friday
Morning
Friday
Afternoon
Olympics
E 0-10
S 5-15
SSW 10-20
SW 5-15
West North
ENE 0-10
SSW 5-15
SSW 10-20
SSW 15-25
West Central
E 0-10
SSW 5-15
SSW 5-15
SSW 10-20
West South
VAR 0-10
S 5-15
S 5-15
SSW 5-15
Stevens Pass
VAR 0-10
SSE 5-15
SSW 0-10
SSW 0-10
Snoqualmie Pass
VAR 0-10
SSE 5-15
SSE 5-15
SSW 0-10
East North
NNE 5-15
VAR 0-10
WSW 5-15
SW 5-15
East Central
NNE 5-15
VAR 0-10
SSW 10-20
SW 5-15
East South
NE 0-10
SE 5-15
SW 5-15
SW 5-15
Mt. Hood
NW 10-20
ESE 5-15
S 5-15
SW 5-15
Olympics
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
E
0-10
Thursday
Night
S
5-15
Friday
Morning
SSW
10-20
Friday
Afternoon
SW
5-15
West North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
ENE
0-10
Thursday
Night
SSW
5-15
Friday
Morning
SSW
10-20
Friday
Afternoon
SSW
15-25
West Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
E
0-10
Thursday
Night
SSW
5-15
Friday
Morning
SSW
5-15
Friday
Afternoon
SSW
10-20
West South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
VAR
0-10
Thursday
Night
S
5-15
Friday
Morning
S
5-15
Friday
Afternoon
SSW
5-15
Stevens Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
VAR
0-10
Thursday
Night
SSE
5-15
Friday
Morning
SSW
0-10
Friday
Afternoon
SSW
0-10
Snoqualmie Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
VAR
0-10
Thursday
Night
SSE
5-15
Friday
Morning
SSE
5-15
Friday
Afternoon
SSW
0-10
East North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
NNE
5-15
Thursday
Night
VAR
0-10
Friday
Morning
WSW
5-15
Friday
Afternoon
SW
5-15
East Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
NNE
5-15
Thursday
Night
VAR
0-10
Friday
Morning
SSW
10-20
Friday
Afternoon
SW
5-15
East South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
NE
0-10
Thursday
Night
SE
5-15
Friday
Morning
SW
5-15
Friday
Afternoon
SW
5-15
Mt. Hood
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday
Evening
NW
10-20
Thursday
Night
ESE
5-15
Friday
Morning
S
5-15
Friday
Afternoon
SW
5-15
Issued: 1:55 PM PST Thursday, January 13, 2022
Extended Weather Synopsis
Warm and dry weather should hang with us through the weekend as we sit protected under a flat high-pressure ridge. Period of clouds may pass overhead, but any precipitation will continue to deflect north into Canada. An approaching low-pressure system will try to nudge the ridge out of the way on Monday and bring precipitation back to the mountains. Right now the weather models differ on the success of the Low, with some only allowing a few showers to find their way to the mountains.
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).