The high pressure ridge responsible for this extended streak of dry weather will bend but not break today as a short-wave disturbance approaches from the north. Most locations should start the morning with mostly sunny skies. Eventually, high clouds move into the region and should thicken and lower in the afternoon. Temperature inversions are well established in many of the mountain valleys, passes, and cold air sinks. As W-NW winds increase today ahead of the "storm", this should help mix out temperatures at lower elevations and usher in warmer air.
While areas close to Mt Baker could see a few flurries just before sunset, most precipitation holds off until the evening. Unfortunately, there's not much left of this weak system by the time it arrives. Most sites won't see more than a healthy dusting of snow. What it lacks in moisture, the system makes up for in cold air. Look for temperatures to quickly fall this evening, rapidly bringing snow levels to below most trailheads. This should keep what little precipitation that falls as all snow except at the lowest elevations.
By sunrise, the storm is finished and the high-pressure ridge rapidly rebounds. Initially, the Pacific Northwest will sit under the far eastern extent of the ridge. Cold, dry, northerly flow aloft draws chilly air in from Canada. Mostly sunny skies and decreasing winds will allow for a bit of daytime warming as we return to a prolonged dry weather pattern.
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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Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers and cooling temperatures.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. A few flurries possible late in the day. W winds becoming light to moderate
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers and cooling temperatures. NW winds turning NE and becoming light to moderate.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. W winds becoming light to moderate.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers and cooling temperatures. Light to moderate WNW winds decreasing and turning N.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. WNW winds becoming light to moderate
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers in the northern portion of the zone and cooling temperatures. Moderate NW winds decreasing and turning northerly.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. Light E flow at pass level turning W in the morning. W ridgeline winds becoming light to moderate
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers and cooling temperatures. Light to moderate WNW ridgeline winds decreasing and turning northerly. W flow at pass level.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. East flow weakening and turning west in the morning. WNW ridgeline winds becoming moderate and gusty.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers and cooling temperatures. Moderate NW ridgeline winds decreasing slightly and turning NNW. West flow at pass level.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. Light to moderate W winds increasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers and cooling temperatures. Light to moderate NW winds turning N.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. Moderate WNW winds becoming stronger in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with snow flurries possible. Temperatures cooling. Moderate NW winds decreasing and becoming NNW.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. Light to moderate WNW winds increasing in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with snow flurries possible. Temperatures cooling. Moderate NW winds decreasing slightly and turning NNW.
Thursday
Mostly sunny in the morning with increasing clouds. NW winds becoming light to moderate in the afternoon.
Thursday
Night
Cloudy with snow flurries possible. Temperatures cooling. Moderate to strong W winds decreasing slightly and becoming NW.
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).