A broad upper-level trough will pass through the area in the wake of a system moving eastward through Oregon. This trough will keep moderate snowfall going over the Mt Hood area through mid-morning. Light showers/low clouds linger along the west slopes of the Cascades. The back edge of the trough brings some cloud cover to areas of the east slopes of the Cascades near the Cascade Crest as well. The switch to westerly onshore flow will also initiate a warming trend. Snow levels will bump up to 1500-2500', and mid-mountain high temperatures will push into the 20s throughout the area. Ridgeline winds will become moderate to locally strong out of the W-WNW Friday afternoon, focusing on Mt Hood and the E slopes of the Cascades.
A few light showers continue mainly along the west slopes of Cacades and will continue Friday night along with moderate to strong W ridgeline winds. A more organized frontal system will push closer to the coast on Saturday, with light warm frontal precipitation pushing over the area in the mid-day and afternoon hours. Snow levels in the 1000-3000 ft range.
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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Friday
Partly cloudy.
Friday
Night
Mostly cloudy.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with snow flurries at times, mainly in the morning hours.
Friday
Night
Very light snow showers.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with periods of very light snow.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday
Cloudy with periods of light snow.
Friday
Night
Cloudy with very light snow showers. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with periods of light snow. Light ridgeline and E wind switching W at the Pass by 10 AM.
Friday
Night
Light snow showers and very weak convergence. Light to moderate ridgeline and light W wind at the Pass.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with periods of light snow. Light ridgeline and E wind switching W at the Pass by 10 AM.
Friday
Night
Light snow showers and very weak convergence. Light to moderate ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Friday
Partly cloudy with a few snow flurries possible near the Cascade Crest.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy with a few snow flurries possible near the Cascade Crest. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday
Partly cloudy with a few snow flurries possible near the Cascade Crest.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy with a few snow showers near the Cascade Crest. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday
Partly cloudy with a few snow flurries possible near the Cascade Crest.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy with a few snow showers near the Cascade Crest. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday
Moderate snow transitions to light snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
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).