It's a mostly sunny and mild Friday across the region with afternoon temperatures peaking in the 30s to 40s. Waves of cirrus ahead of a weak upper level disturbance will continue to pass inland this afternoon and eventually transition the cloud cover to overcast this evening through Saturday morning. While this system will bring clouds we don't expect any precipitation and dry weather should extend into Sunday. Also, there will be less cooling overnight with the cloud cover and slightly warmer air mass.
The cloud forecast for Saturday varies depending on which forecast model or ensemble you look at, but the most likely scenario features the weather feature from Friday night exiting as it moves to the east, followed by mostly sunny skies across the region late morning through mid-afternoon. An upper trough approaching the coast will begin to spread high level clouds in the region once again Saturday afternoon. Saturday's afternoon highs and freezing levels will increase a notch over Friday.
We can expect a mild and cloudy Saturday night as the upper trough nears the West coast. Those mild, sticky and cloudy conditions will be with us until the end of the weekend. On Sunday, the upper trough will begin to rotate showers NE through Oregon and likely reach the south Washington Cascade and perhaps the central Cascades by the afternoon. Freezing levels will be in the 5500-6500' range Saturday night and Sunday.
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
Friday
Night
Cloudy. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through early afternoon, then increasing clouds in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon. Light E-SE Pass level and ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy. Light E-SE Pass level and ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon. Light E-SE Pass level and ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Cloudy. Light to moderate E-SE Pass level and ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Cloudy
Saturday
Mostly cloudy in the morning, partly to mostly sunny late morning through mid afternoon, then increasing clouds late in the afternoon.
Issued: 2:34 PM PDT Friday, March 17, 2023
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
Saturday
Saturday Night
Sunday
5 pm - 5 am
5 am - 5 pm
5 pm - 5 am
5 am - 5 pm
Hurricane Ridge
0
0
0
0
Mt Baker Ski Area
0
0
0
0
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
LT 0.10
Paradise
0
0
0
LT 0.10
White Pass
0
0
0
LT 0.10
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
LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows
0
0
0
LT 0.25
Timberline
0
0
0
LT 0.25
Hurricane Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Mt Baker Ski Area
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Stevens Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Snoqualmie Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Crystal Mt
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
LT 0.10
Paradise
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
LT 0.10
White Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
LT 0.10
Washington Pass
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Mission Ridge
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
0
Tieton River - Darland Mt.
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
LT 0.25
Timberline
Precipitation (in)
Friday Night
0
Saturday
0
Saturday Night
0
Sunday
LT 0.25
Issued: 2:34 PM PDT Friday, March 17, 2023
Snow Level (ft)
Friday
Evening*
Friday
Night*
Saturday
Morning
Saturday
Afternoon
Saturday
Evening
Saturday
Night
Sunday
Morning*
Sunday
Afternoon*
Olympics
5000'
4500'
5000'
6000'
6000'
5500'
6000'
6000'
West North
5000'
4500'
5000'
6000'
6000'
5500'
6000'
6500'
West Central
4500'
4000'
5000'
6000'
6000'
5500'
6000'
6000'
West South
4500'
3500'
4500'
6000'
5500'
5000'
5500'
6000'
Stevens Pass
4500'
3000'
4500'
6000'
5500'
4500'
5000'
5500'
Snoqualmie Pass
4500'
3500'
4500'
6000'
5500'
5000'
5500'
6000'
East North
4500'
2500'
4500'
6000'
4500'
3000'
4500'
5500'
East Central
4500'
2500'
4500'
6000'
5000'
4500'
5000'
5500'
East South
4500'
2500'
4500'
6000'
5000'
4500'
5000'
5500'
Mt. Hood
6000'
5500'
6000'
6500'
6500'
6500'
6000'
5000'
Olympics
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
5000'
Friday
Night*
4500'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
6000'
Saturday
Night
5500'
Sunday
Morning*
6000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
6000'
West North
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
5000'
Friday
Night*
4500'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
6000'
Saturday
Night
5500'
Sunday
Morning*
6000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
6500'
West Central
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
4000'
Saturday
Morning
5000'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
6000'
Saturday
Night
5500'
Sunday
Morning*
6000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
6000'
West South
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
3500'
Saturday
Morning
4500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
5500'
Saturday
Night
5000'
Sunday
Morning*
5500'
Sunday
Afternoon*
6000'
Stevens Pass
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
3000'
Saturday
Morning
4500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
5500'
Saturday
Night
4500'
Sunday
Morning*
5000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
5500'
Snoqualmie Pass
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
3500'
Saturday
Morning
4500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
5500'
Saturday
Night
5000'
Sunday
Morning*
5500'
Sunday
Afternoon*
6000'
East North
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
2500'
Saturday
Morning
4500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
4500'
Saturday
Night
3000'
Sunday
Morning*
4500'
Sunday
Afternoon*
5500'
East Central
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
2500'
Saturday
Morning
4500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
5000'
Saturday
Night
4500'
Sunday
Morning*
5000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
5500'
East South
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
4500'
Friday
Night*
2500'
Saturday
Morning
4500'
Saturday
Afternoon
6000'
Saturday
Evening
5000'
Saturday
Night
4500'
Sunday
Morning*
5000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
5500'
Mt. Hood
Elevation
Friday
Evening*
6000'
Friday
Night*
5500'
Saturday
Morning
6000'
Saturday
Afternoon
6500'
Saturday
Evening
6500'
Saturday
Night
6500'
Sunday
Morning*
6000'
Sunday
Afternoon*
5000'
Issued: 2:34 PM PDT Friday, March 17, 2023
5000' Temperatures (°F)
Friday
Night
Saturday
Max / Min
Max / Min
Olympics
35 / 30
40 / 32
West North
35 / 30
40 / 32
West Central
33 / 30
40 / 31
West South
37 / 29
42 / 31
Stevens Pass
31 / 27
40 / 30
Snoqualmie Pass
32 / 27
39 / 30
East North
30 / 24
37 / 26
East Central
31 / 25
38 / 28
East South
33 / 26
40 / 28
Mt. Hood
35 / 31
43 / 31
Olympics
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
35 / 30
Saturday
40 / 32
West North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
35 / 30
Saturday
40 / 32
West Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
33 / 30
Saturday
40 / 31
West South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
37 / 29
Saturday
42 / 31
Stevens Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
31 / 27
Saturday
40 / 30
Snoqualmie Pass
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
32 / 27
Saturday
39 / 30
East North
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
30 / 24
Saturday
37 / 26
East Central
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
31 / 25
Saturday
38 / 28
East South
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
33 / 26
Saturday
40 / 28
Mt. Hood
5000' Temperature Forecast (Max / Min)
Friday
Night
35 / 31
Saturday
43 / 31
Issued: 2:34 PM PDT Friday, March 17, 2023
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
Friday
Night
Saturday
Morning
Saturday
Afternoon
Olympics
S 10-20
S 10-20
S 10-20
S 5-15
West North
S 5-15
S 5-15
S 5-15
SE 0-10
West Central
SSE 5-15
SSE 5-15
SSE 0-10
SE 0-10
West South
S 10-20
S 5-15
SE 5-15
SE 5-15
Stevens Pass
SE 5-15
SE 0-10
SE 0-10
SE 0-10
Snoqualmie Pass
SE 10-20
SE 5-15
SE 5-15
SE 5-15
East North
SE 0-10
SSE 0-10
S 0-10
S 5-15
East Central
S 10-20
S 5-15
SSE 5-15
S 5-15
East South
S 0-10
SSE 0-10
SSE 0-10
S 5-15
Mt. Hood
SSE 5-15
SSE 5-15
S 0-10
S 0-10
Olympics
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
S
10-20
Friday
Night
S
10-20
Saturday
Morning
S
10-20
Saturday
Afternoon
S
5-15
West North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
S
5-15
Friday
Night
S
5-15
Saturday
Morning
S
5-15
Saturday
Afternoon
SE
0-10
West Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SSE
5-15
Friday
Night
SSE
5-15
Saturday
Morning
SSE
0-10
Saturday
Afternoon
SE
0-10
West South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
S
10-20
Friday
Night
S
5-15
Saturday
Morning
SE
5-15
Saturday
Afternoon
SE
5-15
Stevens Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
5-15
Friday
Night
SE
0-10
Saturday
Morning
SE
0-10
Saturday
Afternoon
SE
0-10
Snoqualmie Pass
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
10-20
Friday
Night
SE
5-15
Saturday
Morning
SE
5-15
Saturday
Afternoon
SE
5-15
East North
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SE
0-10
Friday
Night
SSE
0-10
Saturday
Morning
S
0-10
Saturday
Afternoon
S
5-15
East Central
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
S
10-20
Friday
Night
S
5-15
Saturday
Morning
SSE
5-15
Saturday
Afternoon
S
5-15
East South
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
S
0-10
Friday
Night
SSE
0-10
Saturday
Morning
SSE
0-10
Saturday
Afternoon
S
5-15
Mt. Hood
Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Friday
Evening
SSE
5-15
Friday
Night
SSE
5-15
Saturday
Morning
S
0-10
Saturday
Afternoon
S
0-10
Issued: 2:34 PM PDT Friday, March 17, 2023
Extended Weather Synopsis
Showers will shift north and increase Sunday night and into Monday as the upper level trough shifts over our region. Showers may become more scattered but are likely to continue Monday night and on Tuesday. With a relatively cooler upper level trough over the PNW in the early next week, we can expect snow levels to fall into the 3000-5000' range.
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).