Issued: 2:44 PM PST Saturday, February 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 Saturday & Sunday

Shortwave ridging moved over the Pacific Northwest earlier today for a period of fair weather. A fast moving low pressure system moving south in northerly flow aloft will drop over the area Saturday night. Clouds will increase during the day on Saturday, with high clouds increasing for all areas in the afternoon and low level clouds mainly increasing for the Olympics and north and central west slopes of the Cascades. Light pre-frontal showers in an area of convergence affecting Stevens and Snoqualmie Passes should continue through this afternoon. 

Otherwise, light snow showers will develop out ahead of low this evening and increase in intensity overnight, especially for the west slopes of the Cascades. As the low pressure system dips south off the Washington Coast on Sunday, showers will continue except for a partial clearing trend forecast over the north Cascades. Snow levels will stay relatively low throughout the short term. Cool NW flow will continue over the area Sunday night with shower activity becoming more scattered overnight.  

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Saturday

Partly cloudy with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Light snow showers developing in the afternoon.

Saturday Night - Sunday Morning

Light to occasionally moderate snow showers. 

Sunday Afternoon

Mostly cloudy with light snow showers becoming light to occasionally moderate in the afternoon along the north slopes of the Olympics.

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

Partly to mostly cloudy with increasing clouds in the afternoon, especially north and central Cascades. Light snow showers developing north and central Cascades in the afternoon.

Saturday Night - Sunday Morning

Light to occasionally moderate snow showers. 

Sunday Afternoon

Mostly cloudy with light snow showers except partial clearing north Cascades.

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Saturday

Mostly sunny with increasing high clouds in the afternoon, especially northeast and central-east Cascades. Very light snow showers developing northeast Cascades in the afternoon.

Saturday Night - Sunday Morning

Cloudy with light snow showers. 

Sunday Afternoon

Mostly cloudy with light snow showers except partial clearing northeast Cascades.

Mt. Hood Area
Saturday

Mostly clear in the morning becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds in the afternoon

Saturday Night

Light snow showers developing in the evening. 

Sunday

Light to occasionally moderate snow showers.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 1500' 1000' 1000' ' ' 1000' ' 1500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level 1500' 500' 0' ' ' 500' ' 1000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level * 1500' 1500' 1500' ' ' 2000' ' 2000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
0'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
500'
(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

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 W 15 - 25 --- - W 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 30 --- - WSW 15 - 30
Sunday Afternoon ENE 10 - 20 ENE 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 --- - WSW 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon ENE 10 - 20
Sunday Night NW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15
Sunday Night VAR 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning WSW 15 - 30
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning WSW 15 - 30
Sunday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon ENE 10 - 20
Sunday Night NW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15
Sunday Night VAR 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning WSW 15 - 30
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning WSW 15 - 30
Sunday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Sunday 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
Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Evening W 20 - 30 W 15 - 25 WNW 25 - 35 --- - WNW 15 - 25
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning W 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 WSW 20 - 30 --- - W 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15 E 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 --- - W 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Evening W 20 - 30
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning W 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Evening W 15 - 25
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning W 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon E 0 - 10
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Evening WNW 25 - 35
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Evening --- -
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Evening WNW 15 - 25
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning W 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night WNW 10 - 20

Extended Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Sunday

A longwave trough will stretch through the inland NW on Monday with light showers focused mainly in the south and central Washington Cascades. The jet stream will shift north into central British Columbia on Tuesday, setting up a change in the weather pattern.  Clouds should increase later Tuesday with perhaps some light snow developing for the north Cascades and Olympics in the afternoon. The jet should sag south on Wednesday with warm frontal moisture potentially becoming heavy for the Olympics and north Cascades with much lighter amounts further south.  A slow warming trend will begin Tuesday night and continue through Wednesday. 

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood
Monday

Partly cloudy north Cascades and Olympics with isolated snow showers. Mostly cloudy with scattered snow showers central and south Washington Cascades including Mt. Hood. 

Monday Night

Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers tapering off. 

Tuesday

Partly cloudy in the morning. Increasing clouds and a chance of light snow Olympics and north Cascades in the afternoon. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday

Light snow and rain Olympics and north Cascades becoming moderate on Wednesday. Light rain and snow developing south and central Washington Cascades overnight. Mostly cloudy with periods of light rain and snow Mt. Hood on Wednesday. Slight warming trend. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Monday - Monday Night Snow Level 0' - 500' 500' - 1500' 1000' - 2000'
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level 0' - 1000' 500' - 1500' 1500' - 2500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday - Monday Night Snow Level
0' - 500'
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level
0' - 1000'
Wednesday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday - Monday Night Snow Level
500' - 1500'
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level
500' - 1500'
Wednesday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday - Monday Night Snow Level
1000' - 2000'
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Wednesday Snow Level
3000' - 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.

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 25, 2017

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