Issued: 2:35 PM PDT Saturday, April 8, 2023
by Dennis D'Amico

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

Weather Synopsis

Today was the opening round in our increasingly wet, mild, and windy weekend. Light rain and snow, heaviest for the northwest Cascades and southern slopes of the Olympics, will taper off this evening. A deep upper trough off the northern B.C. coast will dig south along the coast and lift the jet stream north into SW B.C. on Sunday.  This will allow the storm track to tap into subtropical moisture, push in or advect milder air into the region over the next 24-36 hours, and point the firehouse of moisture at the Canadian/US border. 

Precipitation rates will begin to pick up early Sunday morning for the Olympics and northwest Cascades and become heavy during the day. These same areas will see strong to extreme S-SW winds. We'll see lighter precipitation rates in the morning for other areas. As the front slowly sags south, we'll see heavier precipitation and strong S-SW winds spread to areas further south during the afternoon. Mt Hood and the far eastern slopes of the Cascades won't see nearly as much rain and snow during the daylight hours. Snow levels will creep up Saturday night and Sunday. Along the west slopes of the Cascades, many areas will see peak snow levels Sunday afternoon and evening. The northeast Cascades will hold onto slightly cooler snow levels at least initially. 

The frontal boundary will stall and lose some steam on Sunday night.  Another wave of moisture will likely ride up the same frontal boundary on Monday. Snow levels on the western edge of the boundary will begin to cool, with snow returning to mid-elevations, while along the east-side they will remain quite mild. Confidence is low on precipitation amounts and exact snow levels for Monday. 

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
Saturday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow increasing after midnight. Strong ridgeline winds.
Sunday Stormy with moderate rain and snow, heavy along the southern slopes of the Olympics. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow increasing after midnight. Strong ridgeline winds.
Sunday Stormy with moderate to heavy rain and snow. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow increasing after midnight. Strong ridgeline winds.
Sunday Stormy with moderate to occasionally heavy rain and snow. Strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow increasing after midnight. Moderate ridgeline winds increasing to strong after midnight.
Sunday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow in the morning, then moderate rain and snow in the afternoon, heaviest Paradise and St Helens area. Strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow increasing after midnight. Moderate ridgeline W winds. Light east winds at Pass level.
Sunday Light rain and snow in the morning, then light to moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline W winds. Light east winds at Pass level.
Saturday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow increasing after midnight. Moderate ridgeline W winds. Light east winds at Pass level.
Sunday Light rain and snow in the morning, then moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline W winds. Light east winds at Pass level.
Saturday Night Cloudy with light rain or snow increasing after midnight. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday Light rain and snow in the morning, then moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. Heaviest precipitation near the Cascade crest. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday Periods of light rain and snow in the morning, then light to moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. Heaviest precipitation near the Cascade crest.Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday Periods of light rain and snow in the morning, then light to moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. Heaviest precipitation near the Cascade crest.Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow. Strong ridgeline winds.
Sunday Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow in the morning, then light rain and snow in the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.

Issued: 2:35 PM PDT Saturday, April 8, 2023

Precipitation (in)

Saturday Night Sunday Sunday Night Monday
5 pm - 5 am 5 am - 5 pm 5 pm - 5 am 5 am - 5 pm
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.25 1.00 LT 0.25 LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area 0.75 2.00 0.75 0.25 - 0.50
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass 0.50 - 0.75 1.00 - 1.50 1.00 0.50
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 0.50 0.50 - 0.75 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass 0.25 0.75 0.75 0.50
Crystal Mt LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75 0.50 0.50
Paradise 0.25 1.00 1.00 - 1.50 0.75 -1.00
White Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50 0.50 - 0.75 0.50 - 0.75
Washington Pass LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75 0.50 - 0.75 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25 LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head LT 0.10 0.50 0.50 0.25 - 0.50
Tieton River - Darland Mt. LT 0.10 LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75 0.50
Timberline LT 0.10 0.25 0.75 -1.00 0.50 - 0.75
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.25
Sunday 1.00
Sunday Night LT 0.25
Monday LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night 0.75
Sunday 2.00
Sunday Night 0.75
Monday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Sunday 1.00 - 1.50
Sunday Night 1.00
Monday 0.50
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.25
Sunday 0.50
Sunday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Monday 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night 0.25
Sunday 0.75
Sunday Night 0.75
Monday 0.50
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.25
Sunday 0.50 - 0.75
Sunday Night 0.50
Monday 0.50
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night 0.25
Sunday 1.00
Sunday Night 1.00 - 1.50
Monday 0.75 -1.00
White Pass Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Sunday 0.25 - 0.50
Sunday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Monday 0.50 - 0.75
Washington Pass Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.25
Sunday 0.50 - 0.75
Sunday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Monday 0.25
Mission Ridge Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Sunday LT 0.25
Sunday Night LT 0.25
Monday 0.25 - 0.50
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Sunday 0.50
Sunday Night 0.50
Monday 0.25 - 0.50
Tieton River - Darland Mt. Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Sunday LT 0.25
Sunday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Monday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Sunday LT 0.25
Sunday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Monday 0.50
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Sunday 0.25
Sunday Night 0.75 -1.00
Monday 0.50 - 0.75

Issued: 2:35 PM PDT Saturday, April 8, 2023

Snow Level (ft)

Saturday Evening Saturday Night Sunday Morning Sunday Afternoon Sunday Evening Sunday Night Monday Morning Monday Afternoon
Olympics 4500' 4500' 5500' 6500' 5000' 4000' 3500' 4000'
West North 3500' 4500' 4500' 5500' 6000' 4000' 3500' 4000'
West Central 4000' 4500' 4500' 6000' 6500' 5000' 4500' 4500'
West South 5000' 5000' 5500' 6500' 7000' 6500' 6000' 5000'
Stevens Pass 4500' 4500' 4500' 6000' 6500' 5000' 4500' 5000'
Snoqualmie Pass 4500' 5000' 5000' 6500' 6500' 5500' 4500' 5000'
East North 4000' 4000' 4500' 5000' 5500' 5000' 5500' 6000'
East Central 4500' 5000' 5000' 6000' 6500' 6000' 6000' 6000'
East South 6000' 5500' 5500' 6500' 7000' 7000' 7000' 6500'
Mt. Hood 7000' 7000' 7500' 8500' 7000' 8500' 8500' 8000'
Olympics Elevation
Saturday Evening 4500'
Saturday Night 4500'
Sunday Morning 5500'
Sunday Afternoon 6500'
Sunday Evening 5000'
Sunday Night 4000'
Monday Morning 3500'
Monday Afternoon 4000'
West North Elevation
Saturday Evening 3500'
Saturday Night 4500'
Sunday Morning 4500'
Sunday Afternoon 5500'
Sunday Evening 6000'
Sunday Night 4000'
Monday Morning 3500'
Monday Afternoon 4000'
West Central Elevation
Saturday Evening 4000'
Saturday Night 4500'
Sunday Morning 4500'
Sunday Afternoon 6000'
Sunday Evening 6500'
Sunday Night 5000'
Monday Morning 4500'
Monday Afternoon 4500'
West South Elevation
Saturday Evening 5000'
Saturday Night 5000'
Sunday Morning 5500'
Sunday Afternoon 6500'
Sunday Evening 7000'
Sunday Night 6500'
Monday Morning 6000'
Monday Afternoon 5000'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Evening 4500'
Saturday Night 4500'
Sunday Morning 4500'
Sunday Afternoon 6000'
Sunday Evening 6500'
Sunday Night 5000'
Monday Morning 4500'
Monday Afternoon 5000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Evening 4500'
Saturday Night 5000'
Sunday Morning 5000'
Sunday Afternoon 6500'
Sunday Evening 6500'
Sunday Night 5500'
Monday Morning 4500'
Monday Afternoon 5000'
East North Elevation
Saturday Evening 4000'
Saturday Night 4000'
Sunday Morning 4500'
Sunday Afternoon 5000'
Sunday Evening 5500'
Sunday Night 5000'
Monday Morning 5500'
Monday Afternoon 6000'
East Central Elevation
Saturday Evening 4500'
Saturday Night 5000'
Sunday Morning 5000'
Sunday Afternoon 6000'
Sunday Evening 6500'
Sunday Night 6000'
Monday Morning 6000'
Monday Afternoon 6000'
East South Elevation
Saturday Evening 6000'
Saturday Night 5500'
Sunday Morning 5500'
Sunday Afternoon 6500'
Sunday Evening 7000'
Sunday Night 7000'
Monday Morning 7000'
Monday Afternoon 6500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Evening 7000'
Saturday Night 7000'
Sunday Morning 7500'
Sunday Afternoon 8500'
Sunday Evening 7000'
Sunday Night 8500'
Monday Morning 8500'
Monday Afternoon 8000'

Issued: 2:35 PM PDT Saturday, April 8, 2023

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Saturday Night Sunday
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 32 / 31 36 / 32
West North 32 / 30 36 / 32
West Central 34 / 31 38 / 32
West South 33 / 31 37 / 33
Stevens Pass 34 / 32 39 / 32
Snoqualmie Pass 33 / 32 39 / 31
East North 32 / 30 34 / 30
East Central 34 / 31 39 / 32
East South 35 / 31 40 / 31
Mt. Hood 39 / 34 45 / 35
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 32 / 31
Sunday 36 / 32
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 32 / 30
Sunday 36 / 32
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 34 / 31
Sunday 38 / 32
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 33 / 31
Sunday 37 / 33
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 34 / 32
Sunday 39 / 32
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 33 / 32
Sunday 39 / 31
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 32 / 30
Sunday 34 / 30
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 34 / 31
Sunday 39 / 32
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 35 / 31
Sunday 40 / 31
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Saturday Night 39 / 34
Sunday 45 / 35

Issued: 2:35 PM PDT Saturday, April 8, 2023

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

Saturday Evening Saturday Night Sunday Morning Sunday Afternoon
Olympics SW 15-25 SW 30-40 SSW 30-40 SW 35-50
West North SSW 15-25 SSW 25-35 SSW 35-50 SSW 35-50
West Central SW 15-25 SSW 20-30 SSW 30-40 SW 30-40
West South SW 15-25 SW 25-35 SSW 30-40 SW 35-50
Stevens Pass SW 10-20 SW 15-25 SSW 15-25 SW 20-30
Snoqualmie Pass SW 15-25 SW 15-25 SSW 20-30 SW 25-35
East North SW 10-20 SW 15-25 SSW 20-30 SW 20-30
East Central SW 15-25 SW 15-25 SSW 20-30 SW 25-35
East South SW 10-20 SW 15-25 SSW 20-30 SW 20-30
Mt. Hood SW 15-25 SW 20-30 SSW 20-30 SW 25-35
Olympics Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 15-25
Saturday Night SW 30-40
Sunday Morning SSW 30-40
Sunday Afternoon SW 35-50
West North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SSW 15-25
Saturday Night SSW 25-35
Sunday Morning SSW 35-50
Sunday Afternoon SSW 35-50
West Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 15-25
Saturday Night SSW 20-30
Sunday Morning SSW 30-40
Sunday Afternoon SW 30-40
West South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 15-25
Saturday Night SW 25-35
Sunday Morning SSW 30-40
Sunday Afternoon SW 35-50
Stevens Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 10-20
Saturday Night SW 15-25
Sunday Morning SSW 15-25
Sunday Afternoon SW 20-30
Snoqualmie Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 15-25
Saturday Night SW 15-25
Sunday Morning SSW 20-30
Sunday Afternoon SW 25-35
East North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 10-20
Saturday Night SW 15-25
Sunday Morning SSW 20-30
Sunday Afternoon SW 20-30
East Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 15-25
Saturday Night SW 15-25
Sunday Morning SSW 20-30
Sunday Afternoon SW 25-35
East South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 10-20
Saturday Night SW 15-25
Sunday Morning SSW 20-30
Sunday Afternoon SW 20-30
Mt. Hood Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Saturday Evening SW 15-25
Saturday Night SW 20-30
Sunday Morning SSW 20-30
Sunday Afternoon SW 25-35

Issued: 2:35 PM PDT Saturday, April 8, 2023

Extended Weather Synopsis

Eventually, the same upper level trough will move into the area and kick the quasi-stationary frontal boundary to our east Monday night and leave us in a much cooler and showery pattern through Wednesday. 

Extended Snow Level (ft)

Monday Night Tuesday Tuesday Night Wednesday
West North 3000' 3500' 2000' 3500'
Snoqualmie Pass 3000' 3500' 2000' 3500'
Mt. Hood 3500' 3500' 2000' 4000'
West North Elevation
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday 3500'
Tuesday Night 2000'
Wednesday 3500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday 3500'
Tuesday Night 2000'
Wednesday 3500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Night 3500'
Tuesday 3500'
Tuesday Night 2000'
Wednesday 4000'

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

Previous forecast from Apr 8, 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’.