Issued: 6:49 AM PST Monday, January 23, 2023
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis

Weak and moisture-deprived disturbances continue to slide down the back side of an offshore ridge of high pressure.

A very weak front brought a trace of snow to Mt. Baker early Monday morning, but radar echoes show precipitation has fizzled as the front moves southeast. However, expect more clouds to start the day with partial clearing along the west slopes of the Cascades and mostly sunny skies arriving to the east. Light to moderate NW winds continue throughout the day with little change throughout the short-term forecast. 5000 ft temperatures should rise from the low 20s in the early morning hours to the upper 20s in northern areas and the 30s south of I-90.

The offshore ridge rebounds somewhat Monday night, but a new disturbance sliding down the Canadian Rockies increases clouds across the area after midnight. Light snow could develop for Mt. Baker and the Mountain Loop in the early morning hours.

Very light snow may spread as far south as Mt. Rainier as the disturbance moves into the Dakotas on Tuesday. It lacks significant moisture, so expect only a dusting to an inch of snow for the west slopes of the Washington Cascades. The east slopes can expect partly cloudy skies with downslope winds maintaining milder temperatures.

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 Partly cloudy.
Monday Night Becoming mostly cloudy.
Monday A few snow flurries early in the day then becoming partly to mostly cloudy.
Monday Night Mostly cloudy with a chance of light snow in the early morning hours.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy.
Monday Night Mostly cloudy with a chance of light snow in the early morning hours.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy.
Monday Night Partly to mostly cloudy.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy. Light ridgeline and W wind and the Pass.
Monday Night Partly to mostly cloudy. Light ridgeline and W wind and the Pass.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy. Light to moderate ridgeline and W wind and the Pass.
Monday Night Partly to mostly cloudy. Light to moderate ridgeline and W wind and the Pass.
Monday Partly cloudy with clouds decreasing in the afternoon.
Monday Night Partly cloudy.
Monday Partly cloudy with clouds decreasing in the afternoon.
Monday Night Partly cloudy to mostly clear.
Monday Partly cloudy with clouds decreasing in the afternoon.
Monday Night Partly cloudy to mostly clear.
Monday Partly cloudy, then becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon.
Monday Night Mostly clear.

Precipitation (in)

Monday Monday Night Tuesday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge 0 0 0
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.10 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass 0 0 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass 0 0 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt 0 0 LT 0.10
Paradise 0 0 0
White Pass 0 0 0
Washington Pass 0 0 LT 0.10
Mission Ridge 0 0 0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head 0 0 0
Tieton River - Darland Mt. 0 0 0
Mt Hood Meadows 0 0 0
Timberline 0 0 0
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Monday LT 0.10
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday LT 0.10
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday LT 0.10
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
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 LT 0.10
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 0
Tuesday 0
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Monday 0
Monday Night 0
Tuesday 0

Snow Level (ft)

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

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Monday Monday Night
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 33 / 27 20 / 27
West North 26 / 20 25 / 23
West Central 27 / 19 26 / 24
West South 31 / 21 27 / 24
Stevens Pass 27 / 21 26 / 25
Snoqualmie Pass 28 / 21 26 / 24
East North 31 / 18 23 / 21
East Central 31 / 24 27 / 25
East South 36 / 26 29 / 26
Mt. Hood 38 / 23 33 / 31
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 33 / 27
Monday Night 20 / 27
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 26 / 20
Monday Night 25 / 23
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 27 / 19
Monday Night 26 / 24
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 31 / 21
Monday Night 27 / 24
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 27 / 21
Monday Night 26 / 25
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 28 / 21
Monday Night 26 / 24
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 31 / 18
Monday Night 23 / 21
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 31 / 24
Monday Night 27 / 25
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 36 / 26
Monday Night 29 / 26
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday 38 / 23
Monday Night 33 / 31

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

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

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

Previous forecast from Jan 22, 2023

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’.