Updated 7:30am-added Short Term Forecast for Olympics
Slow moving pre-frontal showers rotated through the region on SW flow last night giving the Southwest part of the region anywhere from 2-6" of new snow and only trace amounts to an inch elsewhere. Air temperatures have cooled for most west side locations, but east of the crest another warm day is expected. This morning, we can expect showers to continue rotating into the region on SW flow, mainly affecting the Volcanoes, W slopes and passes before precipitation bands become more steady and increase ahead of an incoming cold front. Increasing snowfall along with increasing southwesterly winds should bring stormy conditions to many areas, especially as we get towards the second half of the day. The front first hits the southern areas and west slopes by mid-morning, then crosses the Cascades by later in the afternoon. Snow levels will begin to dive down below pass level with moderate snow showers by the afternoon.
Snowfall quickly becomes more showery behind the front in the evening. Overnight, much colder air pushes east of the crest behind the cold front. With ample moisture streaming into the area on westerly flow, we can expect continued snowfall with short lived periods of convergence from the Mt Loop south. Friday looks like a cold, snowy day for most areas. Winds should continue to blow in the moderate to strong range at ridgetop, and snowfall should steadily stack up in the mountains favoring the volcanoes and west slopes.
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
Light rain and snow showers, breezy at ridgetop.
Thursday
Night
Light to moderate snowfall with gusty ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Light snow showers this morning, increasing and becoming steady moderate snowfall. Moderate ridgetop winds, becoming strong later.
Thursday
Night
Moderate to heavy snowfall with strong ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Light snow showers this morning, increasing and becoming steady moderate snowfall. Moderate ridgetop winds, becoming strong later.
Thursday
Night
Moderate to heavy snowfall with strong ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Light snow showers this morning, increasing and becoming steady moderate snowfall. Moderate ridgetop winds, becoming strong later.
Thursday
Night
Moderate to heavy snowfall with strong ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Light rain and snow showers with increasing ridgetop winds. Becoming steady moderate snowfall later in the day. Light westerly winds through the pass.
Thursday
Night
Light to moderate snowfall with moderate and gusty ridgeline winds. Light to moderate west winds through the pass.
Thursday
Light rain and snow showers with increasing ridgetop winds. Becoming steady moderate snowfall later in the day. Light westerly winds through the pass.
Thursday
Night
Moderate snowfall with moderate to strong ridgeline winds. Light to moderate west winds through the pass.
Thursday
Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers later in the day. Moderate ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Night
Light snow showers with moderate ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Filtered sunshine with chance of showers. Increasing ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Night
Light to moderate snow showers with strong ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Filtered sunshine with chance of showers. Increasing ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Night
Light snow with moderate to strong ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Light snow showers this morning, increasing and becoming steady moderate snowfall. Strong ridgetop winds.
Thursday
Night
Moderate to heavy snowfall with strong ridgetop winds.
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).