Issued: 2:18 PM PST Thursday, December 4, 2025
by Dennis D'Amico

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I Extended Weather

Weather Synopsis

The first wave in what will feel like an endless stream of clouds and precipitation started earlier today. Waves of moisture will ride up and over a strong ridge of high pressure parked offshore, keeping the mositure tap pointed at us, but never allowing us to cool down too much in this pattern.

Light to locally moderate precipitation is evenly distributed from north to south this afternoon, but a secondary impluse of warm frontal precipitation will take aim further south tonight, especially near Mt Hood. Heavy precipitation is expected on the southern volcanoes, including Mt Rainier, St Helens, Adams, and especially Mt Hood through Friday. Precipitation will spread back north on Friday. Unfortunately, this will come with a warming trend. Snow levels that had hovering around 4000' in the north, 5000' in the central and south WA Cascades and 7000' near Mt Hood will rise later tonight through Friday, pushing rain to higher trailheads and Passes.  

The trailing low pressure system will pass into central British Columbia Friday night and we'll see continued light to locally moderate precipitation. This time the focus will be on the west north and west central areas along the west slopes of the Cascades. Snow levels will slide lower Friday night and Saturday, bringing snow back to the Mt Baker area and Stevens Pass trailheads.  

A near constant feature over this stretch will be the strong W-NW winds, most pronounced along higher ridgelines and above.  Winds will be strongest from the central Cascades and south to Mt Hood, and we should see periods of extreme winds over the next 48 hours.  A byproduct of the constant and strong NW flow aloft will be a strong drying trend, and downsloping over the east slopes of the Cascades. Look for precipitation totals to trail off signficantly the futher east one travels from the Cascade crest. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
Use dropdown to select your zone
Thursday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Light to moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday Light to moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Light to moderate rain and snow, locally heavy Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens area. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Friday Light to moderate rain and snow, locally heavy Mt Rainier and Mt St Helens area. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Light to moderate ridgeline and Pass level W winds.
Friday Light to moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline and Pass level W winds.
Thursday Night Light to moderate rain and snow. Moderate ridgeline and Pass level W winds.
Friday Light to moderate rain and snow. Moderate to strong ridgeline and Pass level W winds.
Thursday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow.
Friday Light rain and snow. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow, occasionally moderate near the Cascade crest.
Friday Light to moderate rain and snow, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Cloudy with light rain and snow, occasionally moderate near the Cascade crest.
Friday Light to moderate rain and snow, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Thursday Night Moderate to occsaionally heavy rain and high elevation snow. Strong to extreme winds.
Friday Moderate to heavy rain and high elevation snow. Strong to extreme winds.

Precipitation (in)

Thursday Night Friday Friday Night Saturday
4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge 0.25 LT 0.25 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50 1.00 1.00
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass 0.25 0.75 -1.00 1.50 0.75 -1.00
Stevens Pass 0.25 - 0.50 0.75 1.00 0.50 - 0.75
Snoqualmie Pass 0.50 0.75 -1.00 0.75 -1.00 0.50 - 0.75
Crystal Mt 0.25 - 0.50 0.25 LT 0.25 LT 0.25
Paradise 1.00 1.50 0.75 0.50
White Pass 0.50 1.00 0.25 - 0.50 0.25
Washington Pass LT 0.10 0.25 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head LT 0.25 0.50 0.25 - 0.50 0.25
Tieton River - Darland Mt. LT 0.10 0.50 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows 1.00 2.00 0.25 0.25
Timberline 1.00 - 1.50 2.50 0.50 0.25 - 0.50
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 0.25
Friday LT 0.25
Friday Night LT 0.25
Saturday LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night LT 0.25
Friday 0.25 - 0.50
Friday Night 1.00
Saturday 1.00
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 0.25
Friday 0.75 -1.00
Friday Night 1.50
Saturday 0.75 -1.00
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Friday 0.75
Friday Night 1.00
Saturday 0.50 - 0.75
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 0.50
Friday 0.75 -1.00
Friday Night 0.75 -1.00
Saturday 0.50 - 0.75
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Friday 0.25
Friday Night LT 0.25
Saturday LT 0.25
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 1.00
Friday 1.50
Friday Night 0.75
Saturday 0.50
White Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 0.50
Friday 1.00
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Saturday 0.25
Washington Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday 0.25
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Saturday LT 0.25
Mission Ridge Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday LT 0.25
Friday Night LT 0.25
Saturday LT 0.10
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night LT 0.25
Friday 0.50
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Saturday 0.25
Tieton River - Darland Mt. Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday 0.50
Friday Night LT 0.25
Saturday LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 1.00
Friday 2.00
Friday Night 0.25
Saturday 0.25
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Thursday Night 1.00 - 1.50
Friday 2.50
Friday Night 0.50
Saturday 0.25 - 0.50

Snow Level (ft)

Thursday Evening Thursday Night Friday Morning Friday Afternoon Friday Evening Friday Night Saturday Morning Saturday Afternoon
Olympics 6500' 7000' 7500' 6000' 5000' 4500' 4000' 4000'
West North 4000' 4000' 4500' 5500' 4500' 4000' 3500' 3500'
West Central 4500' 5500' 6500' 6500' 5500' 4500' 4000' 4000'
West South 5000' 5500' 7000' 7000' 5500' 4500' 4000' 4000'
Stevens Pass 4000' 4500' 4500' 6000' 5000' 4000' 4000' 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass 4500' 5500' 6000' 6500' 5500' 4500' 4000' 4000'
East North 3500' 3500' 4500' 5500' 5500' 4000' 3500' 4500'
East Central 4500' 5000' 5000' 6000' 5500' 4500' 4000' 4500'
East South 5500' 6000' 6500' 7000' 6000' 5000' 4500' 4500'
Mt. Hood 7500' 7500' 8000' 8000' 6000' 5000' 4500' 5000'
Olympics Elevation
Thursday Evening 6500'
Thursday Night 7000'
Friday Morning 7500'
Friday Afternoon 6000'
Friday Evening 5000'
Friday Night 4500'
Saturday Morning 4000'
Saturday Afternoon 4000'
West North Elevation
Thursday Evening 4000'
Thursday Night 4000'
Friday Morning 4500'
Friday Afternoon 5500'
Friday Evening 4500'
Friday Night 4000'
Saturday Morning 3500'
Saturday Afternoon 3500'
West Central Elevation
Thursday Evening 4500'
Thursday Night 5500'
Friday Morning 6500'
Friday Afternoon 6500'
Friday Evening 5500'
Friday Night 4500'
Saturday Morning 4000'
Saturday Afternoon 4000'
West South Elevation
Thursday Evening 5000'
Thursday Night 5500'
Friday Morning 7000'
Friday Afternoon 7000'
Friday Evening 5500'
Friday Night 4500'
Saturday Morning 4000'
Saturday Afternoon 4000'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Evening 4000'
Thursday Night 4500'
Friday Morning 4500'
Friday Afternoon 6000'
Friday Evening 5000'
Friday Night 4000'
Saturday Morning 4000'
Saturday Afternoon 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Evening 4500'
Thursday Night 5500'
Friday Morning 6000'
Friday Afternoon 6500'
Friday Evening 5500'
Friday Night 4500'
Saturday Morning 4000'
Saturday Afternoon 4000'
East North Elevation
Thursday Evening 3500'
Thursday Night 3500'
Friday Morning 4500'
Friday Afternoon 5500'
Friday Evening 5500'
Friday Night 4000'
Saturday Morning 3500'
Saturday Afternoon 4500'
East Central Elevation
Thursday Evening 4500'
Thursday Night 5000'
Friday Morning 5000'
Friday Afternoon 6000'
Friday Evening 5500'
Friday Night 4500'
Saturday Morning 4000'
Saturday Afternoon 4500'
East South Elevation
Thursday Evening 5500'
Thursday Night 6000'
Friday Morning 6500'
Friday Afternoon 7000'
Friday Evening 6000'
Friday Night 5000'
Saturday Morning 4500'
Saturday Afternoon 4500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Evening 7500'
Thursday Night 7500'
Friday Morning 8000'
Friday Afternoon 8000'
Friday Evening 6000'
Friday Night 5000'
Saturday Morning 4500'
Saturday Afternoon 5000'

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Thursday Night Friday
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 36 / 34 39 / 32
West North 30 / 29 36 / 31
West Central 32 / 29 37 / 32
West South 34 / 31 38 / 34
Stevens Pass 32 / 30 38 / 33
Snoqualmie Pass 33 / 30 38 / 32
East North 31 / 29 36 / 30
East Central 33 / 29 38 / 33
East South 34 / 32 38 / 34
Mt. Hood 38 / 35 40 / 38
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 36 / 34
Friday 39 / 32
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 30 / 29
Friday 36 / 31
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 32 / 29
Friday 37 / 32
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 34 / 31
Friday 38 / 34
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 32 / 30
Friday 38 / 33
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 33 / 30
Friday 38 / 32
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 31 / 29
Friday 36 / 30
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 33 / 29
Friday 38 / 33
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 34 / 32
Friday 38 / 34
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday Night 38 / 35
Friday 40 / 38

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

Thursday Evening Thursday Night Friday Morning Friday Afternoon
Olympics W 5-15 WNW 10-20 W 20-30 W 25-35
West North W 10-20 W 5-15 SW 10-20 WSW 20-30
West Central W 10-20 W 10-20 SW 10-20 WSW 20-30
West South WNW 20-30 WNW 20-30 W 20-30 W 30-40
Stevens Pass W 10-20 W 10-20 W 15-25 W 25-35
Snoqualmie Pass W 15-25 W 15-25 W 20-30 W 30-40
East North W 10-20 W 5-15 W 10-20 W 25-35
East Central W 25-35 W 20-30 W 20-30 W 35-50
East South W 20-30 WNW 15-25 W 15-25 W 35-50
Mt. Hood WNW 30-40 WNW 35-50 WNW 30-40 W 35-50
Olympics Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 5-15
Thursday Night WNW 10-20
Friday Morning W 20-30
Friday Afternoon W 25-35
West North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 10-20
Thursday Night W 5-15
Friday Morning SW 10-20
Friday Afternoon WSW 20-30
West Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 10-20
Thursday Night W 10-20
Friday Morning SW 10-20
Friday Afternoon WSW 20-30
West South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening WNW 20-30
Thursday Night WNW 20-30
Friday Morning W 20-30
Friday Afternoon W 30-40
Stevens Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 10-20
Thursday Night W 10-20
Friday Morning W 15-25
Friday Afternoon W 25-35
Snoqualmie Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 15-25
Thursday Night W 15-25
Friday Morning W 20-30
Friday Afternoon W 30-40
East North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 10-20
Thursday Night W 5-15
Friday Morning W 10-20
Friday Afternoon W 25-35
East Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 25-35
Thursday Night W 20-30
Friday Morning W 20-30
Friday Afternoon W 35-50
East South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening W 20-30
Thursday Night WNW 15-25
Friday Morning W 15-25
Friday Afternoon W 35-50
Mt. Hood Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Evening WNW 30-40
Thursday Night WNW 35-50
Friday Morning WNW 30-40
Friday Afternoon W 35-50

Extended Weather Synopsis

You've come to the wrong place for good news on snow levels, at least initially. We'll see another wave of moisture bring heavier precipitation in westerly flow and another warming trend on Sunday. We'll try to grab our breath Sunday night and Monday before a strong atmospheric river takes aim at the Pacific Northwest. It looks to be an extremely wet work week with several AR events and mountain precipitation measured in inches daily. Snow levels are too hard to pin down right now in what will be a very dynamic weather pattern; there's some hope we'll see lower snow levels towards the end of next week.  

Extended Snow Level (ft)

Saturday Night Sunday Sunday Night Monday
West North 3500' 4500' 4000' 4500'
Snoqualmie Pass 4500' 5500' 5000' 5500'
Mt. Hood 5000' 7000' 6000' 7500'
West North Elevation
Saturday Night 3500'
Sunday 4500'
Sunday Night 4000'
Monday 4500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Night 4500'
Sunday 5500'
Sunday Night 5000'
Monday 5500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Night 5000'
Sunday 7000'
Sunday Night 6000'
Monday 7500'

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I Extended Weather

Previous forecast from Dec 3, 2025

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).

The label LT, is shorthand for ‘less than’.