We're smack dab in the middle of an active storm cycle. After an atmospheric river pushed east of the area this morning, a series of fast moving Pacific frontal systems will impact the area through Tuesday. The first frontal system is lifting heavy precipitation from the south to the north this afternoon. This system will deliver a burst of heavier precipitation (high elevation snow, low/mid-elevation rain) and strong to extreme winds through late this evening, with precipitation tapering off in the south and lingering longest in the northern areas tonight.
We'll enjoy a short respite from the active weather later tonight and tomorrow morning in between frontal systems. A deep low pressure system will begin to spread warm frontal precipitation up again from the south during the morning, with precipitation reaching the Canadian border by 4pm. Winds will become strong for areas west of the Cascade crest, including the Mt Hood area, as the storm approaches Monday. A secondary impulse will bring another round of significant precipitation and strong to extreme wind Monday night into Tuesday morning. Post-frontal showers will pepper the west slopes of the Cascades and Passes on Tuesday, and strong winds will slowly decrease. Snow levels will be slightly cooler with the Monday night/Tuesday precipitation, sticking around 3500-4500'.
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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Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow easing after midnight. Strong ridgeline winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing in the afternoon. Light ridgeline winds becoming strong in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Moderate to heavy rain and snow easing after midnight. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing in the afternoon. Light ridgeline winds becoming strong in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Moderate rain and snow easing after midnight. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing mid-day. Light ridgeline winds becoming strong in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow easing after midnight. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing mid-day. Light ridgeline winds becoming strong in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow easing after midnight. Strong to extreme W ridgeline and strong Pass level winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing mid-day. Light ridgeline winds becoming strong in the afternoon. Light SE ridgeline winds becoming moderate in the afternoon. Light E pass level winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow easing after midnight. Strong to extreme W ridgeline and strong Pass level winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing during the morning. Light SE ridgeline winds becoming moderate in the afternoon. Light E pass level winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow, heaviest near the crest, becoming lighter after midnight. Strong ridgeline winds easing after midnight.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing in the afternoon. Light ridgeline winds becoming moderate in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow, heaviest near the crest, becoming lighter after midnight. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds, tapering late.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing mid-day. Light ridgeline winds becoming moderate to strong in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow, heaviest near the crest, becoming lighter after midnight. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds, tapering late.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing late morning. Light ridgeline winds becoming moderate to strong in the afternoon.
Sunday
Night
Moderate to heavy rain and snow becoming lighter after midnight. Strong to extreme ridgeline winds, tapering late.
Monday
Cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing during the morning. Light to moderate ridgeline winds becoming strong in the afternoon.
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).