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 & Saturday
Light northerly flow will gradually turn northwesterly this afternoon as a weak shortwave upstream along the northern British Columbia coast begins to spread some high clouds into the Olympics and north Cascades late this afternoon. Moderate east winds seen this morning at Mt. Hood should quickly taper down by later this morning. Otherwise another cold and mostly sunny day is in store for most of the PNW.
The shortwave should bring periods of very light snow to the north Cascades and Olympics late tonight through Friday. Clouds should fill in for the south and central Washington Cascades on Friday but Mt. Hood should stay mostly clear.
The parent upper level low off the northern B.C. coast will begin to retrograde well offshore Friday night as upper level ridging temporarily builds over the intermountain West. This will turn temporarily dry us out before the stronger southern branch of the jet stream begins to take aim at the PNW over the weekend. Offshore easterly gradients will begin to increase late Friday night pulling cold air through the Cascade Passes, a trend that will continue on Saturday.
Weather Forecast
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Mostly clear with increasing high clouds Olympics and north Cascades in the late afternoon and evening. |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Cloudy Olympics and north Cascades with periods of very light snow. Becoming partly to mostly cloudy south and central Washington Cascades on Friday. |
| Friday Night |
Becoming partly to mostly clear. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Mostly clear with increasing high clouds northeast Cascades in the late afternoon and evening. |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Mostly cloudy northeast Cascades with periods of very light snow. Becoming partly cloudy south and central-east Washington Cascades on Friday. |
| Friday Night |
Becoming mostly clear. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Thursday - Friday Night |
Mostly clear. Moderate east winds Thursday morning easing by late morning. |
Issued: 2:43 PM PST Thursday, January 5, 2017
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Freezing Level * | 1000' | 0' | 0' | ' | ' | 0' | ' | 0' |
| Thursday Night - Friday | Snow Level * | 1500' | 500' | 0' | ' | ' | 0' | ' | 0' |
| Friday Night | Freezing Level * | 1500' | 500' | 0' | ' | ' | 0' | ' | 0' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level 1000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level 500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Freezing Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night - Friday |
Snow Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 0' (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
| Saturday | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
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: 2:43 PM PST Thursday, January 5, 2017
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 | SW 0 - 10 | W 0 - 10 | --- - | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 10 - 20 | SW 5 - 15 | SW 5 - 15 | --- - | W 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SW 15 - 25 | S 5 - 15 | SE 0 - 10 | --- - | SE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Night | S 10 - 20 | SE 5 - 15 | SE 10 - 20 | --- - | SE 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | S 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Night | SE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | S 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Night | SE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | E 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Night | SE 5 - 15 |
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 | W 10 - 20 | W 5 - 15 | N 10 - 20 | --- - | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 20 - 30 | W 20 - 30 | W 20 - 30 | --- - | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | WSW 15 - 25 | WSW 15 - 25 | W 15 - 25 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | N 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday 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.
Issued: 2:43 PM PST Thursday, January 5, 2017
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
A low pressure complex will sit off the Washington coast around 135 W/50 N spinning frontal bands into the region beginning Saturday night through at least Monday.
Lower pressure offshore and higher pressure on the east side of the Cascades will funnel cold air through the Cascade Passes. Milder Pacific air will take most to all of the weekend to displace the arctic air that has been lodged over the PNW. Easterly Pass level winds look strong Saturday and Saturday night.
The first found of precipitation will begin Saturday afternoon rotating up from the south and affecting mainly Mt. Hood. A stronger warm front will pass over the area Sunday. Freezing rain is possible for the foothills and western approaches Saturday night and Sunday morning, with potentially mixed precipitation for the Passes and lower east slopes Sunday afternoon or night.
A more mixed air mass should be in place by Monday with snow levels settling around 2000-2500 feet.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood
Mostly sunny north part with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Cloudy Mt. Hood and south Washington Cascades with light snow developing by the afternoon. Strong East Cascade winds developing.
Cloudy with periods of light snow, occasionally moderate Mt. Hood. Strong East Pass winds.
Light to moderate snow, heaviest volcanoes. Warming trend. Mixed precipitation possible Cascades and Mt. Hood Sunday afternoon and evening.
Light to moderate rain and snow showers.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday - Sunday Evening | Snow Level | 0' - 1000' | 0' - 0' | 0' - 0' | * |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | Snow Level | 0' - 500' | 0' - 1000' | 1500' - 2500' | * |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | Snow Level | 2000' - 3000' | 2000' - 4000' | 5500' - 6500' | * |
| Sunday Night - Monday | Snow Level | 1500' - 2500' | 2000' - 3000' | 2000' - 3000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday - Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 0' - 1000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 0' - 500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 1500' - 2500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday - Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 0' - 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 0' - 1000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday - Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 0' - 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 5500' - 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
* 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 Jan 5, 2017
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