Issued: 7:53 AM PDT Tuesday, March 10, 2015
by Dennis D'Amico

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather

Weather Synopsis for Tuesday & Thursday

Another mild day is in store for the PNW with freezing levels around 10,000 ft, however, initially clear skies should fill in with a high overcast for most areas by mid-day. Upper level ridging over the coast will shift east tonight as a stacked low pressure system offshore rotates the first frontal wave towards the area. Light rain and snow should develop overnight and continue through Wednesday. The Mt. Hood area may locally see some moderate precipitation as the jet stream becomes oriented toward Oregon beginning Wednesday afternoon.  

Another front will pass through Wednesday night providing the west slopes with a moderate period of precipitation. Unfortunatley, snow levels stay well above pass level for this storm. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Tuesday Morning

Mostly clear and mild. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Becoming mostly cloudy with a high overcast. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday

Occasional light rain and snow beginning overnight. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Tuesday Morning

Mostly clear and mild. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Becoming mostly cloudy with a high overcast. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday

Occasional light rain and snow beginning overnight, mainly near the Cascade crest. 

Mt. Hood Area
Tuesday Morning

Mostly clear and mild. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Becoming mostly cloudy with a high overcast. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning

Occasional light rain and snow developing overnight. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Tuesday Freezing Level 10000' 9500' 9500' ' ' 10000' ' 11000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level 6000' 5500' 5500' ' ' 5500' ' 6500'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level 6000' 6000' 6000' ' ' 6500' ' 7000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
10000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
6000'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
6000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
9500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
6000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
9500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
6000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
10000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
6500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
5500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Freezing Level
11000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
6500'
Wednesday - Wednesday Evening Snow Level
7000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
6000'

* Easterly flow in the Cascade Passes can cause locally lower Snow or Freezing levels than areas further west.
Freezing Level is when no precipitation is forecast.

Precipitation Forecast

Thursday Thursday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 0 - 0.50
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Paradise LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 0.75 - 1.00
LT 0.10 0 - 1.00

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Tuesday Morning S 0 - 10 SSW 5 - 15 SSW 5 - 15 --- - S 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon S 10 - 20 S 5 - 15 SSW 5 - 15 --- - SW 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Morning S 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Morning S 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning S 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning S 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Night SW 15 - 25

Directions above indicate the direction the wind blows from on the 16-point cardinal scale. These winds indicate "free" winds, or those winds in the atmosphere not influenced by terrain. Topographical effects may produce greater or lower wind speeds in certain locations as well as significant variations in direction.

Free Winds at 9000' (mph)

Mt. Baker Washington Pass Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Tuesday Morning W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 --- - SW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon SW 20 - 30 SW 15 - 25 SW 10 - 20 --- - SW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night SW 25 - 35 SW 30 - 40 WSW 30 - 40 --- - SW 30 - 40
Wednesday SW 25 - 35 SW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 --- - SW 25 - 35
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning W 10 - 20
Tuesday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Tuesday Night SW 25 - 35
Wednesday SW 25 - 35
Wednesday Night SW 25 - 35
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning W 10 - 20
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SW 30 - 40
Wednesday SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 30 - 40
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning W 10 - 20
Tuesday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Tuesday Night WSW 30 - 40
Wednesday SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 30 - 40
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning SW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night SW 30 - 40
Wednesday SW 25 - 35
Wednesday Night W 25 - 35

Extended Weather Synopsis for Thursday night through Thursday

Leftover showers should diminish during the day Thursday as upper level ridging re-establishes itself along the coast-line. However,  a weak disturbance passing into British Columbia Thursday may keep additional clouds around and stunt the clearing trend for the Olympics and north/central WA Cascades. 

Friday should be dry and mild... but high clouds ahead of a more powerful weather system will pass through the area. Forecast models are in decent agreement that moisture along a frontal band should be pumped into the region in mild SW flow beginning Friday night with precipitation increasing Saturday. While this should be most significant weather event so far in March, the snow levels will once again be on the high side, a story told many times over this winter.  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Thursday Morning

Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers. 

Thursday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered rain and snow showers north part. Partly to mostly sunny with isolated rain and snow showers south part. 

Thursday Night - Friday

Partly to mostly cloudy with high clouds. Mild. 

Friday Night

Light rain and snow developing Olympics and north Cascades. 

Saturday

Moderate rain and snow, especially west slopes of the Cascades. Mild.  

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Thursday Snow Level 5500' - 6500' 5500' - 6500' 6000' - 7000'
Thursday Night - Friday Freezing Level 7500' - 9000' 8000' - 9500' 10000' - 11000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
5500' - 6500'
Thursday Night - Friday Freezing Level
7500' - 9000'
Friday Night - Saturday Snow Level
6000' - 7000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
5500' - 6500'
Thursday Night - Friday Freezing Level
8000' - 9500'
Friday Night - Saturday Snow Level
7000' - 8000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
6000' - 7000'
Thursday Night - Friday Freezing Level
10000' - 11000'
Friday Night - Saturday Snow Level
7500' - 8500'

* Easterly flow in the Cascade Passes can cause locally lower Snow or Freezing levels than areas further west.
Freezing Level is when no precipitation is forecast.

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather

Previous forecast from Mar 9, 2015

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