A weakening trough moves over the region Saturday morning. This will bring some scattered light rain and snow showers. Decreasing mostly light W winds will focus the majority of the shower activity on the west slopes of the Cascades. However, some moderate ridgeline winds accelerating down the east slopes of Mt Hood will decrease as the day progresses. The atmosphere will become slightly more convective in the afternoon which may help the scattered shower activity reach areas near and slightly east of the Cascade Crest as well.
Expect shower activity to end early across the west slopes of the Cascades as winds become light and then shift ESE overnight. The ESE winds will increase into the moderate range in favored areas near the Cascade Crest and Mt Hood as an offshore low extends a frontal wave northward. This wave will spread increasing high and mid clouds from south to north into the region. However, most precipitation should hold off until Sunday evening.
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
Decreasing light rain and snow showers.
Saturday
Night
A few snow showers or flurries early, then partly clearing.
Saturday
Light rain and snow showers at times.
Saturday
Night
A few rain or snow showers early, then partly clearing.
Saturday
Decreasing light rain and snow showers focused on western foothills.
Saturday
Night
A few very light rain or snow showers ending in the evening, then partial clearing.
Saturday
Decreasing light rain or snow showers with increasing sun breaks in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
A few rain or snow showers early, then partial clearing.
Saturday
Decreasing light rain or snow showers with increasing sun breaks in the afternoon. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Saturday
Night
Gradual clearing. Light ridgeline winds. Light W winds shift E at the Pass overnight.
Saturday
Decreasing light rain or snow showers with increasing sun breaks in the afternoon. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Saturday
Night
A few rain or snow showers possible early, then gradual clearing. Light ridgeline winds. Light W winds shift E at the Pass overnight.
Saturday
Partly cloudy with isolated rain or snow showers in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Partly to mostly clear skies.
Saturday
Partly cloudy with isolated rain or snow showers in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Partly to mostly clear skies.
Saturday
Partly cloudy with isolated rain or snow showers in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Partly to mostly clear skies.
Saturday
Scattered rain and snow showers focused on the western slopes of Mt Hood. Moderate ridgeline winds in the morning hours.
Saturday
Night
A few very light rain or snow showers in the evening, then partial clearing 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).