An upper level trough pushes inland this morning bringing a round of steady snow showers to our region. While everyone should see at least a dusting of snow, most of the precipitation focuses from I-90 south to Mt Hood. This isn't a particularly wet storm, but with such cold temperatures, mid-elevation sites could see very low-density snow (15:1). Many areas could receive a few inches by the end of the day. Winds with this system aren't overly impressive, but they will target places like Mt Saint Helens, Mt Hood, and Mt Adams. In these spots, you could experience moderate to occasionally strong and gusty winds.
A high pressure ridge building offshore will help the region dry out overnight. While the bulk of the precipitation will be over, lingering low level clouds should continue to produce flurries along the Cascade crest.
Dry NW winds aloft should make Sunday a pleasant but chilly day. The question is the low clouds. Most weather models keep the trailheads socked in with clouds and possibly a few very light flurries. Higher up the mountain there should be more sunshine. Generally light to calm winds won't do much to help push out the low clouds, but for the few areas that do break out a bit, it should be a gorgeous winter day.
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
Mostly cloudy with a few sun breaks in the afternoon. Snow showers mainly in the morning.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with low clouds and a few flurries.
Saturday
Cloudy with light snow showers.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a chance for snow showers mainly in the evening.
Saturday
Cloudy with snow showers, mainly in the morning.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a chance for snow showers mainly in the evening.
Saturday
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers. Heaviest on the volcanoes.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with snow showers mainly in the evening.
Saturday
Cloudy with snow showers mainly in the morning. Very light E flow at pass level turning W.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with the chance for snow showers in the evening. Generally calm winds at Pass level.
Saturday
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers. Light E flow turning W.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a few light snow showers in the evening. Generally light and variable winds at pass level.
Saturday
Cloudy with a few light snow showers.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a few very slight snow showers possible.
Saturday
Cloudy with light snow showers mainly near the crest. Light to moderate W winds turning WNW.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a few isolated snow showers mainly near the crest. Light to moderate NW winds decreasing.
Saturday
Cloudy with light snow showers mainly near the crest. Light to moderate W winds turning WNW.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with a few isolated snow showers mainly near the crest. Light to moderate NW winds decreasing.
Saturday
Cloudy with snow showers could be moderate at times. Moderate and gusty W winds increasing in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with snow showers mainly in the evening. Moderate WNW winds decreasing overnight.
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).