Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Thursday & Thursday
Welcome to the first mountain weather NWAC forecast of the 2015-16 season! Let's hope we have more snow to talk about then last year.
A north/south frontal boundary extending from an upper low off the coast of British Columbia's Haida Gwaii continues to send waves of precipitation over the PNW today. Southerly flow has brought the heaviest precipitation totals to the Washington volcanoes and Crystal mountain area, with lesser amounts for the Passes, Mt. Hood and eastern Washington. Snow levels have jumped up to 6-7000 feet on the west slopes of the Cascades, but cool easterly flow continues to keep Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass below freezing.
Light precipitation, except moderate around Mt. Baker, will continue through mid-evening when the front passes through the Cascades. Ridgetop winds will continue to be strong through this period as well.
Snow levels will lower to 3-4000 feet with leftover showers Thursday night through Friday as a weak upper level trough moves through the area.
The next frontal system will reach the Olympic peninsula by early Saturday morning.
Weather Forecast
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Thursday Afternoon |
Light rain and snow, occasionally moderate Mt. Baker area. Moderate ridgetop winds. Cool easterly flow in the Passes. |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers, occasionally moderate north Cascades. |
| Friday Night |
Light rain and snow developing Olympics and north Cascades, mostly cloudy elsewhere. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Thursday Afternoon |
Occasional light rain and snow, occasionally moderate northeast Cascades. Moderate ridgetop winds. |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Friday Night |
Mostly cloudy northeast Cascades, partly cloudy southeast Cascades. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Thursday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy with occasional light rain and snow. Moderate alpine winds. |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Friday Night |
Partly cloudy, becoming mostly cloudy early Saturday morning. |
Issued: 2:25 PM PST Thursday, December 3, 2015
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level * | 6500' | 5500' | 3500' | ' | ' | 5500' | ' | 6000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening | Snow Level | 4000' | 3500' | 3000' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 4500' |
| Friday Night | Snow Level * | 4000' | 3000' | 2500' | ' | ' | 2500' | ' | 3000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday Evening |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
* 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 | 1.00 - 2.00 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0 - 3.00 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Washington Pass | 0.50 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | 0 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | 0.50 - 0.75 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | 0.75 - 1.00 | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | 0 - 1.00 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
LT = less than; WE or Water equivalent is the liquid water equivalent of melted snow in hundredths of inches. As a rough approximation 1 inch of snow = about .10 inches WE, or 10 inches of snow = about 1 inch WE.
Issued: 2:25 PM PST Thursday, December 3, 2015
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 | S 20 - 30 | SE 15 - 25 | --- - | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | SW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 10 - 20 | SW 5 - 15 | SW 5 - 15 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | S 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | S 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SE 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Night | SW 10 - 20 |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 50 - 60 | SSW 35 - 45 | SW 50 - 60 | --- - | SW 55 - 65 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Mid-day | WSW 20 - 30 | WSW 25 - 35 | WSW 30 - 40 | --- - | W 25 - 35 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | SW 20 - 30 | SW 25 - 35 | SW 25 - 35 | --- - | SW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 50 - 60 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Mid-day | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 35 - 45 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Mid-day | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | SW 25 - 35 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 50 - 60 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Mid-day | WSW 30 - 40 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | SW 25 - 35 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Mid-day | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 55 - 65 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Mid-day | W 25 - 35 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
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.
Issued: 2:25 PM PST Thursday, December 3, 2015
Extended Weather Synopsis for Thursday night through Thursday
The next frontal system looks to aim the bulk of the moisture over the North Cascades and southern British Columbia. The heaviest precipitation should be in the Mt. Baker area and begin in earnest Saturday afternoon and continue through Sunday morning. Snow levels will rise with this storm system as warmer air pushes in from the southwest, but the snow level bump looks minimal in the north Cascades and the Cascade Passes. Stay tuned for the details with this system, this could be a major snow producer for the north Cascades.
Westerly flow behind the system should even snow levels out across the region to 4000-5000 feet with generally light showers on Sunday.
The progressive weather pattern will continue early next week with additional frontal systems that look slightly warmer versus the system earlier over the weekend.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Saturday - Saturday NightLight rain and snow developing Saturday, except potentially heavy rain and snow for the Olympics and north Cascades. Gradual warming trend west slopes of the Cascades away from the Cascade Passes.
SundayLight to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers.
Sunday Night - MondayModerate rain and snow spreading inland Monday morning and turning to moderate showers Monday afternoon. Milder.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Morning | Snow Level | 2500' - 3500' | 2000' - 3000' | 2500' - 3500' | * |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | Snow Level | 4000' - 5000' | 3000' - 5000' | 4000' - 5000' | * |
| Sunday - Monday | Snow Level | 4000' - 5000' | 4000' - 6000' | 5000' - 6000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday - Monday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 3000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday - Monday |
Snow Level 4000' - 6000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday - Monday |
Snow Level 5000' - 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.
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Previous forecast from Apr 10, 2015
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