Mountain Weather Forecast

Weather Synopsis

The Pacific Northwest will transition away from an unusually cold weather pattern toward a more typical PNW storm cycle. Brisk W winds behind a broad trough continue to bring gradually moderating air off the Pacific through Friday night. Expect very light snow showers and weak convergence for the west slopes of the Cascade Crest, with snow levels around 500 ft in the north and 2000 ft in the south. Following a brief break in the winds and precipitation early Wednesday, the warm front associated with a stronger Pacific storm approaches. Light snowfall spreads from SW to NE across the region during the late morning hours. as snow levels rise into the 1000-3000 ft range. After a relative lull in the winds during the morning, SW ridgeline winds increase through the afternoon, while increasing low-level E flow enables spillover onto the E slopes of the Cascades. Expect 0.5 to 2.5" of snowfall during the day for most locations, with higher amounts possible in the southern Olympics.

The primary front brings moderate rain and mountain snow (heavy at Paradise) Saturday night, along with sustained moderate SW ridgeline winds. Snow levels rise into the 2000-4000 ft range. Warm air over-running cooler air from E flow and in valley location could create some spotty freezing rain in the southern and central Cascades. 

A second-second pulse of moisture arrives Sunday, guided by an upper low moving toward the coast from the northwest. This feature focuses more on the southern half of the Cascades with moderate rain and snow showers. Snow levels should be in the 3000-4500 ft range west of the cascades Crest and 1000-2000 ft lower further east. E flow continues, likely keeping the passes cold. Expect storm totals in the 6-24 inch range for the Cascades, with the highest amounts from Mt Rainier southward.