A weak trough and associated front approaches the Pacific Northwest on Saturday. Ahead of this front, a few very light rain and snow showers linger across the west slopes of the Cascades, primarily with weak convergence lifting northward over the northern Cascades and west slopes of Mt Hood. The primary band of light to moderate shower activity moves into the Olympics, Mt Hood, and the southern Washington Cascades during the morning hours, shifting northward during the afternoon. Moderate to strong winds continue to be most impactful for Mt Hood, but should gradually start to ease.
Light to moderate snow showers continue into the evening hours before decreasing into the light range overnight and through Sunday. A convergence band lifts northward Saturday evening from Snoqualmie, through Stevens, into the Mountain loop overnight. A weakened version could linger in the Mt Baker area on Sunday.
Snow levels fluctuate from morning lows around 2500 ft to afternoon highs around 3500 ft through the weekend. Expect storm totals in the 2-8" range for the west slopes of the Cascades, with lesser amounts for the east slopes.
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
Cloudy with light rain or snow showers increasing during the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain or snow showers.
Saturday
Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow in weak convergence early in the day. Becoming mostly cloudy with some sun breaks during the mid-day hours. Clouds thicken in the afternoon with chances for light rain and snow showers.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow showers.
Saturday
Cloudy with periods of light rain or snow in weak convergence early in the day. Becoming mostly cloudy with some sun breaks during the late morning hours. Clouds thicken in the afternoon with chances for light rain and snow showers.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow showers, locally moderate as a convergence band lifts northward.
Saturday
Very light snow showers increase into the light to moderate range by the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with decreasing light rain or snow showers.
Saturday
Cloudy with very light rain or snow showers possible mixing with a few sun breaks in the morning. Cloudy in the afternoon with light rain or snow showers. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow showers (possibly moderate at times in convergence). Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Saturday
Cloudy with very light rain or snow showers possible mixing with a few sun breaks in the morning. Cloudy in the afternoon with light rain or snow showers. Light to occasionally moderate ridgeline and light W wind at the Pass.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow showers (possibly moderate at times in convergence during the evening hours). Light to moderate ridgeline and light W wind at the Pass.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of light rain or snow showers, primarily late in the day.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a slight chance of light rain or snow showers.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with a few light rain or snow showers, particularly near the Cascade Crest in the afternoon. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with a few light rain or snow showers, particularly near the Cascade Crest. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy with a few light rain or snow showers, particularly near the Cascade Crest.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with a few light rain or snow showers, particularly near the Cascade Crest.
Saturday
Light rain and snow showers increase into the light to moderate range by the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain or snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds with strong gusts.
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).