Issued: 2:49 PM PST Sunday, February 26, 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 Sunday & Sunday

A low pressure system sliding down along the Washington Coast today will rotate showers mainly through the Mt. Hood area and the south and central Washington Cascades today. As the low slides south, a partial drying and clearing trend will ensue for the northwest Cascades with a mix of sun and clouds likely by the afternoon. A light upslope component along the east slopes of the Cascades will cause light snow showers to increase for the southeast and central-east Cascades in the afternoon while the northeast Cascades also partially dry out. There should be a slight rise in snow levels today but overall the air mass will be seasonally cool. As the flow turns light E-NE this afternoon for areas north of the low pressure system, light upslope snow showers should develop and produce a few inches of new snow along the north slopes of the Olympics. 

Showers should taper off overnight as the low fills and the longwave trough axis shifts to the inland NW by early Monday morning. A weaker weather disturbance sliding down in similar fashion along the Washington Coast on Monday in NW flow aloft should increase shower activity for the southwest/central-west Cascades including Mt. Hood in the afternoon. A weak Puget Sound convergence zone may also form Monday afternoon and evening. With the low snow levels continuing, the lower density snowfall should continue to make the most of out of rather light water amounts. Showers should once again taper off Monday night. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Sunday

Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers especially north slopes of the Olympics. 

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers. 

Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening

Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. 

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

Partly sunny north Cascades. Partly to mostly cloudy central Cascades with scattered light snow showers. Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers south Cascades. 

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

Partly to mostly cloudy north Cascades. Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers south and central Cascades. 

Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening

Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers north Cascades. Cloudy with light snow showers central and south Cascades. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening

Mostly cloudy northeast Cascades. Cloudy central-east and southeast Cascades with light snow showers. 

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

Partly cloudy northeast Cascades. Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers southeast and central-east Cascades. 

Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening

Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers northeast Cascades. Cloudy with light snow showers central-east and southeast Cascades. 

Mt. Hood Area
Sunday - Sunday Evening

Light to occasionally moderate snow showers.

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

Mostly cloudy with scattered snow showers. 

Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening

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

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Sunday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15 NE 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 --- - SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 0 - 10 E 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 --- - WSW 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 WSW 5 - 15 --- - W 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning E 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Monday Night W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Monday Night WSW 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning WSW 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 15 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning E 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Monday Night W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Monday Night WSW 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning WSW 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Monday Night W 15 - 30

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
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15 NE 5 - 15 SE 5 - 15 --- - W 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 WNW 10 - 20 --- - W 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon - Monday Night W 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon - Monday Night W 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Morning WNW 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon - Monday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon - Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon - Monday Night W 20 - 35

Extended Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Sunday

With the jet stream becoming aimed at the British Columbia/Washington border by the middle of the week, a broad area of low pressure in the NE Pacific will begin to direct a series of frontal system into the Pacific Northwest in WNW flow aloft. The details are murky, but the pattern is progressive and the systems look stronger/wetter/warmer toward the end of the work week.

  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Tuesday

Mostly cloudy in the morning with increasing and lowering clouds in the afternoon. Light rain and snow developing in the afternoon Olympics and Washington Cascades. Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow Mt. Hood. 

Tuesday Night

Light to moderate rain and snow. Windy. 

Wednesday

Cloudy with light showers, occasionally moderate west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood. 

Wednesday Night

Light rain and snow Olympics and north Cascades spreading south overnight. 

Thursday

Becoming stormy with moderate rain and snow, except occasionally heavy west slopes of the Cascades, Olympics and Mt. Hood. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Tuesday Snow Level 1000' - 2000' 2000' - 3000' 2500' - 3500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level 1500' - 2500' 2500' - 3500' 3000' - 4000'
Wednesday Snow Level 1500' - 2500' 2000' - 3000' 2000' - 3000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Snow Level
1000' - 2000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Wednesday Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Wednesday Night - Thursday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Snow Level
2000' - 3000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Wednesday Snow Level
2000' - 3000'
Wednesday Night - Thursday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Wednesday Snow Level
2000' - 3000'
Wednesday Night - Thursday 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 26, 2017

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