Issued: 2:14 PM PST Wednesday, January 25, 2017
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 Wednesday & Tuesday

A weak front offshore will continue to weaken as it runs into upper level ridging centered over the coast. Light showers in northerly flow aloft should mainly affect the west slopes of the Cascades, Olympics and Mt. Hood today. Skies will remain mostly cloudy with a few holes poking out of the clouds in the north Cascades and along the east slopes.

The upper level ridge should rebuild over the area on Thursday but moisture should remain trapped against the west slopes on Thursday again making for a mostly cloudy day with perhaps some afternoon sunbreaks. Overall snow/freezing levels should remain fairly steady with a slight warming trend expected over the next two days.  

Weather Forecast

Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Wednesday - Wednesday Night

Cloudy with a chance of light rain and snow showers mainly for the central and south Cascades. 

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with sunbreaks in the afternoon. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Wednesday - Wednesday Night

Cloudy with a chance of light rain and snow showers near the crest. Mostly cloudy further east of the crest.  

Thursday

Mostly cloudy in the morning becoming partly to mostly sunny. Areas of low clouds lower slopes. 

Mt. Hood Area
Wednesday - Wednesday Night

Cloudy with a chance of light rain and snow showers. 

Thursday

Mostly cloudy with sunbreaks in the afternoon. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level 2500' 1500' 1500' ' ' 2000' ' 2500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
4000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
1500'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
3500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
1500'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
3000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
2000'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
3500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
4000'

* 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

Tuesday Tuesday
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
LT 0.25 LT 0.10

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 --- - W 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 0 - 10
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night VAR 0 - 10
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 0 - 10
Thursday - Thursday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night --- -
Thursday - Thursday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Thursday - Thursday Night W 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 0 - 10
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night VAR 0 - 10
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 0 - 10
Thursday - Thursday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night --- -
Thursday - Thursday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Thursday - Thursday Night W 0 - 10

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
Wednesday - Wednesday Night NW 5 - 15 NNW 10 - 20 NW 15 - 25 --- - NW 10 - 20
Thursday W 10 - 20 W 5 - 15 NW 5 - 15 --- - N 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night NW 5 - 15
Thursday W 10 - 20
Thursday Night W 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night NNW 10 - 20
Thursday W 5 - 15
Thursday Night W 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night NW 15 - 25
Thursday NW 5 - 15
Thursday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night --- -
Thursday --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Wednesday - Wednesday Night NW 10 - 20
Thursday N 0 - 10
Thursday Night W 10 - 20

Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Tuesday

A warm front passing north into Vancouver Island on Friday should keep high clouds draped over the north Cascades and Olympics with increasing sunshine for the south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood. Freezing levels will continue their slow climb through the extended period, likely peaking on Saturday. Cool east flow through the Passes should create local inversions on Friday and Saturday.  A Pacific frontal system should shift the ridge axis to our east with warm frontal moisture moving into the Olympics and north Cascades by Sunday afternoon. Alpine winds ahead of the front should begin to increase as early as Saturday afternoon or night.  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood
Friday

Mostly cloudy north Cascades and Olympics.  Partly to mostly sunny south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood.  Slow warming trend. 

Friday Night - Saturday

Partly to mostly clear. Warmer except locally cooler Cascade Passes. 

Saturday Night

Increasing clouds north Cascades and Olympics, otherwise mostly clear. 

Sunday

Mostly cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow developing Olympics and north Cascades. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Friday - Friday Night Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' 4500' - 5500' 4500' - 5500' *
Saturday - Saturday Night Freezing Level 6500' - 7500' 7000' - 8500' 7500' - 8500' *
Mt. Baker Elevation
Friday - Friday Night Freezing Level
4000' - 5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday - Saturday Night Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Friday - Friday Night Freezing Level
4500' - 5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday - Saturday Night Freezing Level
7000' - 8500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Friday - Friday Night Freezing Level
4500' - 5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Saturday - Saturday Night Freezing Level
7500' - 8500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
(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.

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 25, 2017

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