Mountain Weather Forecast

Weather Synopsis

The cold front arriving on the Pacific Northwest coastline early Thursday afternoon is better organized with a low center headed toward the northern tip of Vancouver Island and a juicy band of precipitation currently dousing the Olympic Mountains. This package will lift NE as the front moves through the area through the evening hours. The southern Olympics and Mt Baker areas can expect around 1" or more of rainfall with this feature over a short 6-hour period. Mt Rainier could also squeeze out a fair amount of water. While Washington Pass stays cold enough for a quick 2-5" of snow. Other areas can expect less than 0.1" of water with areas east of the Cascade Crest likely to get a wintry mix as warm air continues to over-ride cold air at the surface. But that cold air will get gradually scoured out and it could change to all rain in some areas.

Shortwave ridging brings the region a mostly dry morning on Friday. Temperatures remain unseasonably mild with freezing levels around 9,000-10,000 ft for the Olympics, Mt Hood, and the southern Washington Cascades. Light rain and highest elevation snow spreads back into the Olympics Friday afternoon as clouds thicken over the Cascades in the afternoon ahead of the next shortwave feature. This feature will be similar to Friday night's, but the bulk of the precipitation will remain further north and west. Expect an uptick in southerly winds Friday afternoon and low-level E winds. Precipitation tapers as the system moves into British Columbia Friday evening.

Ridging takes hold once again Friday night into early Saturday, but a stronger system approaches the coast during the mid-morning hours and spreads moderate rain and higher-elevation snow throughout the region as the day progresses. There is an increased chance of snowfall E of the Cascade Crest and through the mountain gaps, but a wintry mix will feature in many areas. West of the Cascades, snow levels drop late in the day.