Unusually dry weather continues across the Pacific Northwest under the influence of a high amplitude upper-level ridge parked offshore. The surface high has shifted into the British Columbia interior. As it strengthens through the day on Friday, E winds should increase. Expect these winds to be strong at times near the Cascade Crest at locations such as Crystal, White Pass, and Alpental. The strength of the capping high pressure combined with cool low-level air getting sucked through the mountain gaps should maintain inverted conditions into the mid-day hours both Friday and Saturday.
Most mountain locations should see well above-normal temperatures both Friday and Saturday. Expect highs in the 40s near and above the treeline with some locations not getting out of the 30s below the treeline.
Expect sunny weather on Friday with some high clouds over Washington State. Skies clear out fully Friday night and Saturday.
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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Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon. Strong ridgeline winds at times near the Cascade Crest.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Inversion below 4000 ft. Strong ridgeline winds at times.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon. Increasing light to moderate E wind at the Pass.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft. Light to occasionally moderate E flow at the Pass.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon. Increasing light to occasionally moderate E wind at the Pass. Strong ridgeline winds at times.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft. Light to moderate E flow at the Pass. Strong ridgeline winds at times.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 5000 ft weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 5000 ft.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft.
Friday
Mostly sunny. Strong inversion weakening in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly clear with a few thin, high clouds. Strong inversion below 4000 ft.
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).