The last act of this multi-day warm and wet period has begun with moderate to locally heavy rain and high-elevation snow across the region. Mid-mountain temperatures are above freezing, in the mid 30s to lower 40s. The north/south frontal boundary representing this round of the atmospheric river will stay over the area but begin to weaken overnight and Thursday, turning steadier rain to more occasional and lighter precipitation bands. For today, the steady precipitation across the region this morning should become more focused on the north Cascades in the afternoon. S-SE flow with this storm makes for some unusual bedfellows, some of the highest precipitation numbers should occur along the Wenatchee Mountains and to a lesser extent other east-side locations. The Mt Baker area and perhaps the Crystal/Paradise area will be on the receiving end of the heavier precipitation for the west-side of the Cascade crest.
Snow levels will slowly lower from 6500-8000' today to 5500-6000' Thursday afternoon. During heavier precipitation today, we may see the snow level dip down to 5500' near Stevens or Snoqualmie Passes and along the east slopes of the Cascades near and north of Hwy2. Expect moderate to strong S-SE ridgeline winds over the short term.
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
Wednesday
Light to occasionally moderate rain and high elevation snow. Strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Moderate to occasionally heavy rain and high elevation snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Light to moderate rain and high elevation snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Light to moderate rain and high elevation snow in the morning, becoming lighter in the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow this morning, then becoming lighter in the afternoon. Moderate SE ridgeline and Pass level winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate SE ridgeline and Pass level winds.
Wednesday
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow this morning, then becoming lighter in the afternoon. Moderate to strong SE ridgeline and Pass level winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong SE ridgeline and Pass level winds.
Wednesday
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Light to moderate rain and snow, locally heavy at times in the Wentachees through mid-day. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Light to moderate rain and snow this morning, becoming lighter in the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Light to occasional moderate rain and snow this morning, becoming lighter in the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Wednesday
Night
Periods of light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline 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).