Issued: 2:55 PM PST Thursday, February 16, 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 Thursday & Tuesday

Afternoon update: Day 1 precipitation forecasts adjusted

The Gore-Tex weather has come to an end as the remnants of the atmospheric river in the form of a weakening N-S oriented frontal boundary pushed through the Cascades late this morning. The heftiest 24 hr water totals through 4 am Thursday included 4.5 inches in the Mt. Baker area and around 3 inches at Crystal/Paradise. Areas of freezing rain seen this morning along the lower slopes of the Cascade Passes and along the east slopes of the Cascades ended after the front pushed through and milder air mixed down. Light to moderate showers in the Mt. Hood area have become invigorated by a shortwave rotating up in SW flow.  

Shower activity should wane overnight with partial clearing expected on Friday for the Olympics and Washington Cascades. Snow levels will rise slightly with daytime heating Friday afternoon. A longwave trough will dig along the West Coast Friday night, sending increasing clouds and showers into the area from the south overnight. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Thursday - Thursday Evening

Light rain and snow showers becoming light to occasionally moderate later in the afternoon. Slow cooling trend. 

Thursday Night - Friday Morning

Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. 

Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening

Partly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. 

Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening

Light rain and snow showers becoming light to moderate later in the afternoon. Slow cooling trend. 

Thursday Night - Friday Morning

Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. 

Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening

Isolated light rain and snow showers. Partly cloudy central and north Cascades, mostly cloudy south Cascades with increasing high clouds. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening

Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Slow cooling trend. 

Thursday Night - Friday Morning

Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. 

Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening

Isolated light rain and snow showers. Partly cloudy central-east and northeast Cascades, mostly cloudy south Cascades with increasing high clouds. 

Mt. Hood Area
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening

Light to moderate rain and snow. Slow cooling trend. 

Thursday Night - Friday Morning

Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. 

Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening

Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. 

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 4000' 4000' 4500' ' ' 4000' ' 4500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level 3000' 3000' 3000' ' ' 3000' ' 3500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level 3500' 3500' 3500' ' ' 3500' ' 4000'
Friday Night Snow Level 2500' 2000' 2500' ' ' 2500' ' 3000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Friday Night Snow Level
2500'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Friday Night Snow Level
2000'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
4500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Friday Night Snow Level
2500'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
5500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Friday Night Snow Level
2500'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Friday Night Snow Level
3000'
Thursday Mid-day Snow Level
5500'

* 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 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area 0 - 1.00 LT 0.25
Washington Pass 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass 0.75 - 1.00 LT 0.10
Mission Ridge LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt 0 - 0.50 LT 0.10
Paradise 0 - 1.00 LT 0.25
White Pass 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows 1.00 - 1.50 LT 0.25
0 - 1.50 LT 0.25

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25 --- - SW 20 - 30
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20 SW 5 - 15 SW 10 - 20 --- - SW 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night - Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night - Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night E 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 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 --- - WSW 40 - 50
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30 --- - SW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night S 5 - 15
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Thursday Night - Friday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SE 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Thursday Night - Friday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night - Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon WSW 40 - 50
Thursday Night - Friday Morning SW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SE 20 - 30

Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Tuesday

Showers that began to rotate up from the south Friday night should spread over the area during the day Saturday. The longwave trough located offshore and associated with the shower activity will swing through in the afternoon with showers tapering off Saturday night.  A weak Pacific frontal band should pass over the area Sunday with generally light amounts of precipitation expected. A stronger system should impact the area on Monday although the details are murky. 

Extended Weather

Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Saturday

Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate showers. 

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers tapering off. 

Sunday

Light rain and snow developing over the Olympics and spreading inland during the day. 

Sunday Night - Monday

Moderate rain and snow developing Sunday night and potentially becoming stormy on Monday. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Saturday Morning Snow Level 2000' - 3000' 2500' - 3500' 3000' - 4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 3000' - 4000' 3500' - 4500' 4000' - 5000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level 2500' - 3500' 2500' - 3500' 3000' - 4000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2000' - 3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Sunday Afternoon - Monday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Sunday Afternoon - Monday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Sunday Afternoon - Monday Snow Level
3500' - 4500'

* 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 Feb 16, 2017

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