You could see a bit of everything in the mountains today: snow, rain, Cascade mist... clouds, fog, and sunshine. This mixed bag originates from a low-pressure system sitting far enough off the coast to not dominate our weather, but close enough to spin a few clouds and showers into our area. Expect passing showers in the Olympics and along the west-slopes of the Cascades. Your chance at a few flurries decreases as you move further east from the crest. Similarly, skies will generally be cloudier the closer you are to the coast. However, passing bands of mid and high clouds should allow for sun breaks even along the west slopes of the range.
The pattern holds Friday night as the Low slowly meanders its way southward along the coastline. Look for patchy low clouds and fog to develop in the mountain valleys and passes. While you could see a few showers, the overall trend will be drying and cooling.
The very gradual drying trend continues into Saturday. Clouds and isolated showers are most likely in the morning, particularly near and west of the Cascade crest. Sunshine will be more prevalent east of the Cascades and in the afternoon. Unfortunately, passing bands of high clouds seem to keep this from being a real "breakout" day where the skies become fully blue.
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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Friday
Partly cloudy with showers heaviest in the SW Olympics.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy with low clouds/fog in the valleys. A few showers mainly in the SW Olympics.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with showers. A few sun breaks possible. Moderate S winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Mostly cloudy with a few showers.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. A few sun breaks possible.
Friday
Night
Mostly cloudy with low clouds/fog in places. Isolated showers.
Friday
Mostly cloudy in the morning with increasing sun in the afternoon. Isolated showers heaviest near Mt St Helens. Light to moderate SW winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy with low cloud/fog forming in places. Isolated showers possible.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with sun breaks, especially in the afternoon. A few isolated showers possible. Light E flow turning W mid-day.
Friday
Night
Partly to mostly cloudy with low clouds/fog forming. A few isolated showers possible.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with sun breaks. Isolated showers especially in the afternoon. Light E flow turning W mid-day.
Friday
Night
Partly to mostly cloudy with low-clouds/fog in places. A few isolated showers possible.
Friday
Partly to mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. A few flurries/sprinkles possible, especially near the Crest.
Friday
Night
Partly to mostly clear with low clouds/fog forming in places. A few flurries possible near the Canadian border.
Friday
Partly to mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. A few flurries/sprinkles possible, especially near the Crest.
Friday
Night
Partly to mostly clear with low clouds/fog forming in places. A few flurries possible near the Cascade Crest.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with sun breaks. A few very isolated showers possible, especially near the Crest. Light to moderate SW winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Partly to mostly cloudy with low clouds and fog in places. A few flurries possible near the Crest.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with isolated showers and sun breaks. Moderate SW winds decreasing.
Friday
Night
Mostly cloudy with low clouds forming. Isolated showers possible. Light to moderate WSW 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).