Issued: 2:03 PM PST Sunday, January 28, 2024
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis

Mild air has taken over virtually every corner of the Pacific Northwest and will remain throughout the short-term forecast. The last holdout was Washington Pass, where cool E flow created freezing rain Saturday night into early Sunday. Temperatures even in these cool valleys have bumped above freezing by the afternoon. Even Camp Muir is barely below freezing, hovering around 27-29F the last 24 hours.

A warm front lifts northward overnight, bringing increasing moderate to strong ridgeline winds to the Olympics and Mt Baker areas. The S winds favor Mt Baker and the southern slopes of the Olympics for locally moderate precipitation, but a period of light rain is likely for many other areas of Washington State. Increasing light to moderate E winds help the east slopes squeeze out a touch of moisture too.

The atmospheric river offshore targets southwestern British Columbia on Monday, leaving most of our region in the dry sector under partly to mostly cloudy skies. Low clouds linger along the east slopes of the Cascades. Pressure gradients peak across the Cascades in the afternoon with moderate E winds creating (most likely) record-setting temperatures for the Cascade Foothills and Puget Sound lowlands.

Monday night, a shortwave catches up to the atmospheric river pushing it eastward and over the top of the broad ridge to our east. This will bring generally light precipitation to our region, peaking overnight. Mt Baker should be favored for moderate rainfall once again.

The most likely scenario on Tuesday is for a subtle warm front to lift northward across the region, raising temperatures after some subtle cooling early in the day.

 

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
Sunday Night Cloudy with a chance of light rain in the evening, tapering or ending overnight. Increasing moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Monday Cloudy with a chance of light rain in the morning. Moderate ridgeline winds with strong gusts.
Sunday Night Moderate rain. Increasing moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Monday A few sprinkles end early in the day, then becoming partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Sunday Night Cloudy with a chance of very light rain, mainly during the evening hours. Then becoming mostly cloudy.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times.
Sunday Night Cloudy with a chance of a sprinkle in the evening.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Clouds increase late in the day.
Sunday Night Cloudy with a chance of a sprinkle in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Light ridgeline and E wind at the Pass.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Light ridgeline and E wind at the Pass.
Sunday Night Cloudy with a chance of very light rain in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Increasing light to moderate ridgeline and E wind at the Pass.
Monday Partly to mostly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Clouds increase late in the day. Moderate ridgeline and E wind at the Pass.
Sunday Night Cloudy with a chance of a sprinkle in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Low clouds in the valleys.
Monday Partly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Low clouds in the valleys.
Sunday Night Mostly cloudy with a few sprinkles possible. Low clouds in the valleys.
Monday Partly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Low clouds in the valleys.
Sunday Night Mostly cloudy with a few sprinkles possible. Low clouds in the valleys.
Monday Partly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Low clouds in the valleys.
Sunday Night Cloudy with a few sprinkles possible in the evening, then becoming partly cloudy. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Monday Partly cloudy with filtered sunshine at times. Clouds increase late in the day. Moderate ridgeline winds.

Issued: 2:03 PM PST Sunday, January 28, 2024

Precipitation (in)

Sunday Night Monday Monday Night Tuesday
4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 0 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area 0.75 LT 0.10 0.50 LT 0.25
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass LT 0.10 0 0.25 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Paradise LT 0.10 0 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
White Pass LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Washington Pass LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Tieton River - Darland Mt. LT 0.10 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows 0 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Timberline 0 0 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night 0.75
Monday LT 0.10
Monday Night 0.50
Tuesday LT 0.25
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
White Pass Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Washington Pass Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Mission Ridge Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tieton River - Darland Mt. Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night 0
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Sunday Night 0
Monday 0
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10

Issued: 2:03 PM PST Sunday, January 28, 2024

Snow Level (ft)

Sunday Evening* Sunday Night* Monday Morning* Monday Afternoon* Monday Evening* Monday Night* Tuesday Morning* Tuesday Afternoon*
Olympics 9000' 9000' 9000' 9000' 8500' 7000' 6000' 8000'
West North 8000' 8000' 8500' 9000' 9000' 7000' 5500' 6000'
West Central 8000' 8500' 9500' 10000' 9000' 7000' 6000' 8000'
West South 8500' 10000' 10000' 10500' 9500' 8000' 7500' 8500'
Stevens Pass 8000' 9000' 9500' 10500' 9500' 7500' 6500' 8500'
Snoqualmie Pass 8500' 9500' 10000' 10500' 9500' 7500' 6500' 8500'
East North 8000' 9000' 9000' 10500' 8500' 7000' 6000' 6000'
East Central 8500' 9500' 10000' 11000' 10000' 8500' 7000' 8500'
East South 9000' 10000' 10500' 11000' 11000' 8500' 8500' 8500'
Mt. Hood 9000' 10500' 11000' 11500' 11000' 9000' 9000' 8500'
Olympics Elevation
Sunday Evening* 9000'
Sunday Night* 9000'
Monday Morning* 9000'
Monday Afternoon* 9000'
Monday Evening* 8500'
Monday Night* 7000'
Tuesday Morning* 6000'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8000'
West North Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8000'
Sunday Night* 8000'
Monday Morning* 8500'
Monday Afternoon* 9000'
Monday Evening* 9000'
Monday Night* 7000'
Tuesday Morning* 5500'
Tuesday Afternoon* 6000'
West Central Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8000'
Sunday Night* 8500'
Monday Morning* 9500'
Monday Afternoon* 10000'
Monday Evening* 9000'
Monday Night* 7000'
Tuesday Morning* 6000'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8000'
West South Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8500'
Sunday Night* 10000'
Monday Morning* 10000'
Monday Afternoon* 10500'
Monday Evening* 9500'
Monday Night* 8000'
Tuesday Morning* 7500'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8000'
Sunday Night* 9000'
Monday Morning* 9500'
Monday Afternoon* 10500'
Monday Evening* 9500'
Monday Night* 7500'
Tuesday Morning* 6500'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8500'
Sunday Night* 9500'
Monday Morning* 10000'
Monday Afternoon* 10500'
Monday Evening* 9500'
Monday Night* 7500'
Tuesday Morning* 6500'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8500'
East North Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8000'
Sunday Night* 9000'
Monday Morning* 9000'
Monday Afternoon* 10500'
Monday Evening* 8500'
Monday Night* 7000'
Tuesday Morning* 6000'
Tuesday Afternoon* 6000'
East Central Elevation
Sunday Evening* 8500'
Sunday Night* 9500'
Monday Morning* 10000'
Monday Afternoon* 11000'
Monday Evening* 10000'
Monday Night* 8500'
Tuesday Morning* 7000'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8500'
East South Elevation
Sunday Evening* 9000'
Sunday Night* 10000'
Monday Morning* 10500'
Monday Afternoon* 11000'
Monday Evening* 11000'
Monday Night* 8500'
Tuesday Morning* 8500'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Evening* 9000'
Sunday Night* 10500'
Monday Morning* 11000'
Monday Afternoon* 11500'
Monday Evening* 11000'
Monday Night* 9000'
Tuesday Morning* 9000'
Tuesday Afternoon* 8500'

Issued: 2:03 PM PST Sunday, January 28, 2024

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Sunday Night Monday
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 42 / 38 42 / 38
West North 42 / 40 46 / 40
West Central 42 / 39 45 / 40
West South 42 / 41 53 / 40
Stevens Pass 40 / 39 45 / 39
Snoqualmie Pass 39 / 39 43 / 38
East North 38 / 34 41 / 35
East Central 40 / 39 46 / 39
East South 41 / 40 48 / 39
Mt. Hood 44 / 43 51 / 41
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 42 / 38
Monday 42 / 38
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 42 / 40
Monday 46 / 40
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 42 / 39
Monday 45 / 40
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 42 / 41
Monday 53 / 40
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 40 / 39
Monday 45 / 39
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 39 / 39
Monday 43 / 38
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 38 / 34
Monday 41 / 35
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 40 / 39
Monday 46 / 39
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 41 / 40
Monday 48 / 39
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Sunday Night 44 / 43
Monday 51 / 41

Issued: 2:03 PM PST Sunday, January 28, 2024

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

Sunday Evening Sunday Night Monday Morning Monday Afternoon
Olympics SSW 25-35 SSW 30-40 SSW 20-30 SSW 25-35
West North S 20-30 S 25-35 S 25-35 S 25-35
West Central S 10-20 S 10-20 SSE 10-20 SSE 5-15
West South SSW 10-20 SSW 10-20 SSW 10-20 SSW 10-20
Stevens Pass S 5-15 S 5-15 SSE 5-15 SSE 5-15
Snoqualmie Pass SE 10-20 ESE 10-20 ESE 15-25 ESE 20-30
East North S 10-20 S 10-20 S 5-15 SSE 5-15
East Central SSW 15-25 SSW 10-20 S 10-20 S 15-25
East South S 5-15 S 5-15 S 5-15 S 10-20
Mt. Hood SSW 10-20 SSW 10-20 SSE 15-25 SSW 10-20
Olympics Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening SSW 25-35
Sunday Night SSW 30-40
Monday Morning SSW 20-30
Monday Afternoon SSW 25-35
West North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening S 20-30
Sunday Night S 25-35
Monday Morning S 25-35
Monday Afternoon S 25-35
West Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening S 10-20
Sunday Night S 10-20
Monday Morning SSE 10-20
Monday Afternoon SSE 5-15
West South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening SSW 10-20
Sunday Night SSW 10-20
Monday Morning SSW 10-20
Monday Afternoon SSW 10-20
Stevens Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening S 5-15
Sunday Night S 5-15
Monday Morning SSE 5-15
Monday Afternoon SSE 5-15
Snoqualmie Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening SE 10-20
Sunday Night ESE 10-20
Monday Morning ESE 15-25
Monday Afternoon ESE 20-30
East North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening S 10-20
Sunday Night S 10-20
Monday Morning S 5-15
Monday Afternoon SSE 5-15
East Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening SSW 15-25
Sunday Night SSW 10-20
Monday Morning S 10-20
Monday Afternoon S 15-25
East South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening S 5-15
Sunday Night S 5-15
Monday Morning S 5-15
Monday Afternoon S 10-20
Mt. Hood Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Sunday Evening SSW 10-20
Sunday Night SSW 10-20
Monday Morning SSE 15-25
Monday Afternoon SSW 10-20

Issued: 2:03 PM PST Sunday, January 28, 2024

Extended Weather Synopsis

A deep offshore low brings a stream of moisture into SW British Columbia Tuesday night and into our region on Wednesday with moderate rainfall targeting the volcanoes. Shower activity continues Wednesday night and Thursday as snow levels begin to drop below the Cascade Crest. The flow remains mostly southerly throughout the period.

Extended Snow Level (ft)

Tuesday Night* Wednesday * Wednesday Night* Thursday *
West North 7000' 7000' 6000' 5000'
Snoqualmie Pass 7500' 6500' 6000' 5000'
Mt. Hood 8500' 7500' 6000' 5000'
West North Elevation
Tuesday Night* 7000'
Wednesday * 7000'
Wednesday Night* 6000'
Thursday * 5000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Night* 7500'
Wednesday * 6500'
Wednesday Night* 6000'
Thursday * 5000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Night* 8500'
Wednesday * 7500'
Wednesday Night* 6000'
Thursday * 5000'

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

Previous forecast from Jan 28, 2024

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’.