After several stormy days, we're heading for a relative break in the action, but not before one last round of showers swing through the area today.
Lingering low level moisture, onshore (west) flow, and a relatively unstable atmosphere continue to maintain a few light showers along the west slopes of the Cascades and near Mt Hood this morning. A more concentrated band of precipitation has already started to push into the western Olympics. This wave of moisture will travel inland throughout the day increasing shower activity for most locations in the afternoon. The bulk of the snow rings out along the Cascade crest and Passes, and very little precipitation manages to make it further east. Low clouds keep the western forecast zones socked in throughout the day. However, areas further east should see much more sunshine. The sun could even peak through the clouds along the Cascade crest near Crystal, the Goat Rocks, and Mt Adams.
While a few isolated showers may continue to drip into the evening, the overall trend will be for drying and clearing. A transient high pressure ridge will provide us with about 24 hours of dry weather and generally light winds. As skies start to clear Monday night, expect low clouds and fog to develop in the mountain valleys and passes.
Most locations should begin Tuesday with mostly sunny skies. However, our reprieve doesn't last long. High clouds drift into the region in the afternoon ahead of yet another storm system. The unsettled weather pattern stays with us through the remainder of the week.
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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Monday
Scattered showers mainly in the western Olympics. Sun breaks possible near Hurricane Ridge.
Monday
Night
Mostly clear with some low clouds and valley fog.
Monday
Cloudy to mostly cloudy with a few isolated snow showers.
Monday
Night
A few isolated showers lingering into the evening, then becoming mostly clear with low clouds and valley fog.
Monday
Cloudy with scattered showers increasing in the afternoon.
Monday
Night
Isolated showers in the evening. Becoming mostly clear with low clouds and valley fog.
Monday
Cloudy to mostly cloudy with some sun breaks possible near the crest. Scattered to isolated showers heaviest in the afternoon.
Monday
Night
A few isolated showers linger into the early evening. Then, mostly clear with low clouds and valley fog.
Monday
Cloudy with showers mainly in the afternoon. Light west flow at pass level.
Monday
Night
A few showers in the evening then becoming mostly clear with log clouds and fog. Light and variable at pass level.
Monday
Cloudy with showers heaviest in the afternoon. Light west flow at pass level.
Monday
Night
A few showers lingering into the evening. Then mostly clear with low clouds and fog. Light and variable pass level winds.
Monday
Partly to mostly cloudy. A few isolated showers near the crest.
Monday
Night
Becoming mostly clear with log clouds and valley fog.
Monday
Partly to mostly cloudy with more sunshine further east. Isolated showers near the crest. Light to moderate west winds.
Monday
Night
Mostly clear with a few lingering showers near the crest in the evening. Low clouds and valley fog developing.
Monday
Partly to mostly cloudy with more sunshine further east. A few isolated showers near the crest. Light to moderate W winds.
Monday
Night
A few isolated showers near the crest in the evening. Becoming mostly clear with low clouds and valley fog.
Monday
Mostly cloudy with showers. A few sun breaks possible. Moderate and gusty W winds decreasing slightly.
Monday
Night
Isolated showers in the evening, becoming mostly clear with low clouds and valley fog.
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).