We're in for a dry start to the weekend as an upper level ridge noses over the area. The dry weather won't last too long as a developing low pressure system offshore starts to flatten the ridge, allowing increasing clouds into the area later today along with a slight chance of precipitation mainly over the Olympic peninsula but perhaps the northwest Cascades as well before sunset. Expect a mix of mid and high level clouds over the central/north WA Cascades and the Olympics this morning and clearer conditions further south with an uptick in cloud cover during the afternoon. Ridgeline winds will generally be moderate out of the NW but if you're pushing well into the alpine on one of the higher peaks or volcanoes today, expect to experience a stiffer NW wind in these locations. Milder air is already making inroads along the coast and after a cool start this morning, we expect freezing levels to rise into the 4000-6000' this afternoon.
The low pressure system will spread precipitation over the Olympics and northwest Cascades late tonight and then further inland on Sunday. The west slopes of the Cascades from Hwy2 and northward will see the heaviest precipitation through tomorrow with lighter amounts elsewhere. Snow levels will be a mixed bag around the region on Sunday. They'll start around 3000-3500' Sunday morning in the Cascade Passes and east slopes of the Cascades and rise to 4000-4500' in the afternoon after a frontal passage. Snow levels will bump around 4000-4500' for the north Cascades. The mildest air will be found over the Olympics and Mt Hood area on Sunday.
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
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning, becoming cloudy this afternoon with a slight chance of light rain or snow.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing overnight. Moderate ridgeline winds after midnight.
Saturday
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning, becoming cloudy this afternoon with a slight chance of light rain or snow. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing overnight and increasing late. Moderate ridgeline winds after midnight.
Saturday
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning, becoming mostly cloudy this afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing overnight.
Saturday
Partly to mostly sunny this morning, becoming partly to mostly cloudy this afternoon. Moderate ridgeline and higher elevation winds, becoming lighter this afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Becoming cloudy in the evening.
Saturday
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning, becoming mostly cloudy this afternoon. Light Pass level winds, moderate NW ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy. Slight chance of light rain or snow late. Light E winds at Pass level, light W winds at ridgeline.
Saturday
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning, becoming mostly cloudy this afternoon. Light Pass level winds, moderate NW ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy. Slight chance of light rain or snow late. Light E winds at Pass level, light W winds at ridgeline.
Saturday
Partly to mostly cloudy this morning, becoming mostly cloudy this afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy.
Saturday
Partly to mostly sunny this morning, becoming partly to mostly cloudy this afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy, then cloudy after midnight.
Saturday
Partly to mostly sunny this morning, becoming partly to mostly cloudy this afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy, then cloudy after midnight.
Saturday
Mostly sunny this morning with periods of filtered sunshine in the afternoon. Light ridgeline winds, occasionally moderate in the alpine.
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).