A ridge of high pressure will settle over the area today, paving the way for a pleasant late December Saturday over the region. Scattered and light snow showers can still be found along the west slopes of the Cascades, especially around some dying areas of convergence near Hwy2 and the Mt Loop area. These low clouds along the west slopes of the Cascades and Passes should break up by mid-day although may not completely clear out. After a cool start this morning, freezing levels will rebound to around 3000-3500'.
An approaching frontal system will help offshore easterly flow ramp up tonight. This will translate into moderate to locally strong E-SE winds for the central and south Cascades especially near and west of the Cascade crest. Expect places like Crystal Mt, Snoqualmie, and White Pass to record some of the more blustery SE winds through Sunday morning. Cloud cover will spread over the region tonight as the system approaches.
Cloudy skies will continue on Sunday as a weak upper-level trough swings through the area in the afternoon. This may cause some light snowfall along the west slopes of the Cascades but the system won't amount to much. E-SE winds will become SW in some areas following the trough's passage. A more active pattern looks likely next week.
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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Saturday
Mostly sunny. A few low clouds this morning. Passing high clouds during the day.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy this morning with areas of low clouds and a slight chance of light snow showers. Partly to mostly sunny this afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy this morning with low clouds and scattered light snow showers. Partly to mostly sunny this afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight.
Saturday
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning with areas of low clouds and a slight chance of a snow shower. Partly to mostly sunny this afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds developing overnight.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy this morning with low clouds and scattered light snow showers. Partly to mostly sunny this afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight. Moderate E-SE winds at Pass level and ridgelines developing overnight.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy this morning with low clouds and a chance of light snow showers. Partly to mostly sunny this afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight. Areas of low clouds developing near the Pass. Moderate to strong E-SE winds at Pass level and ridgelines developing overnight.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. Areas of low clouds near the crest. Passing high clouds during the day.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. Areas of low clouds near the crest. Passing high clouds during the day.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight. Moderate ridgeline winds developing overnight.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. Areas of low clouds near the crest. Passing high clouds during the day.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight. Moderate ridgeline winds developing overnight.
Saturday
Mostly sunny. A few low clouds this morning. Passing high clouds during the day.
Saturday
Night
Mostly clear in the evening, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds after midnight. Moderate ridgeline winds developing overnight.
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).