The atmosphere continues to stabilize as a ridge of high pressure moves into the Pacific Northwest. Friday morning starts clear and chilly. However, 5000 ft temperatures are generally 0 to 5F warmer than this time yesterday morning, consistent with the start of the significant warming trend that is expected to continue. A few low clouds remain trapped under the incoming ridge, but, precipitation lingering in the wake of the mid-week storm system has generally come to an end. Temperatures should rebound thanks to mostly sunny skies, with partly cloudy skies for most areas in the mid-day and afternoon hours. Freezing levels are expected to rise to around 4500 to 6500 ft by the afternoon, with the warming trend picking up steam more quickly in southern portions of the forecast region as ridging moves onshore.
A broad low pressure center well offshore will be a theme for the next several days. It will influence our weather from a distance. A band of high clouds extending from this feature may partially obscure skies overnight. Freezing levels continue to gradually rise overnight.
On Saturday, high pressure remains over our region. Expect a mix of sunshine, filtered sunshine, and obscured skies as high clouds continue to emanate from the low. Freezing levels rise to 7000-8500 ft by the afternoon.
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
Mostly sunny to start, then becoming partly cloudy.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Partly cloudy.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Partly cloudy.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Partly cloudy with isolated snow flurries early.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Partly cloudy. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck. Light ridgeline winds. Light W winds at the pass switch E overnight.
Friday
Partly cloudy. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck. Light ridgeline winds. Light W winds at the pass switch E overnight.
Friday
Mostly sunny to start, then becoming partly cloudy.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Mostly sunny to start, then becoming partly cloudy.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Mostly sunny to start with a few popcorn cumulus clouds developing in the mid-day and afternoon hours.
Friday
Night
Skies partially obscured by high cloud deck.
Friday
Mostly sunny to start with a few popcorn cumulus clouds developing in the mid-day and afternoon hours.
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).