Issued: 7:39 AM PST Saturday, January 6, 2018
by Dennis D'Amico

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k

Weather Synopsis for Saturday & Saturday

Recent freezing rain seen in the Passes is done this morning as cooler air and westerly onshore flow briefly mixes into the region. A slow decline in snow levels on Saturday should pair with decreasing post-frontal showers seen mainly along the west slopes of the Cascades. A weak convergence zone may locally spit out a few inches of snow through early Saturday afternoon. 

The next low pressure system will track toward the central British Columbia coast tonight, spreading light rain and snow over the Olympics and north Cascades in the early morning hours of Sunday with westerly flow aloft.  Light precipitation will spread south over the Washington Cascades during the day on Sunday but largely miss Mt. Hood.  As a secondary shortwave digs southward from the parent NE Pacific upper level trough later Sunday, this should orient the frontal system more SW-NE Sunday afternoon and night and lead to a gradual warming trend over the region.  

Offshore gradients are not as strong as Friday's system, but could still cause a mix of precipitation types at Snoqualmie and eventually Stevens Pass Sunday afternoon and night. Locally heavier precipitation should stay mainly as snow for Mt. Baker during the daylight hours Sunday before a likely switch to rain Sunday night. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Saturday Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers this morning decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers in the evening then light rain and snow developing late tonight.
Sunday Light rain and snow becoming light to occasionally moderate rain and snow mid-day. Warming trend.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Saturday Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers this morning decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers.
Sunday Light rain and snow north Cascades spreading to the central and south Cascades in the morning. Becoming light to moderate rain and snow north of Stevens Pass mid-day through the afternoon. Light freezing rain possible Snoqulamie Pass in the afternoon. Slow warming trend.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Saturday Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers near the crest this morning ending mid-day.
Saturday Night Cloudy.
Sunday Light rain and snow northeast Cascades spreading to the central-east and southeast Cascades in the morning. Slow warming trend.
Mt. Hood
Saturday Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers this morning ending in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Cloudy.
Sunday Cloudy with periods of very light rain or snow.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning Snow Level 4000' 4000' 4500' ' ' 3500' ' 4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 3000' 3000' 3500' ' ' 3000' ' 3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level 2500' 2500' 2000' ' ' 2500' ' 3000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level * 4000' 2000' 2000' ' ' 3000' ' 4500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level * 6000' 4000' 4000' ' ' 4000' ' 6000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
6000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
6000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
6000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
6500'
(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 0 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 0 - 1.00
Washington Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 0 - 0.75
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.25 0 - 0.75
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise LT 0.10 0 - 1.00
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 LT 0.25
LT 0.10 LT 0.25

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning WSW 5 - 15 SW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 --- - W 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 WSW 5 - 15 --- - W 10 - 20
Saturday Night S 5 - 15 S 0 - 10 WSW 0 - 10 --- - W 5 - 15
Sunday Morning S 15 - 25 SE 5 - 15 S 5 - 15 --- - SW 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30 SE 10 - 20 S 10 - 20 --- - SW 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 5 - 15
Sunday Morning S 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night SSW 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 0 - 10
Sunday Morning SE 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SE 10 - 20
Sunday Night SE 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 0 - 10
Sunday Morning S 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Sunday Night S 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning W 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 5 - 15
Sunday Morning SW 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night S 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 5 - 15
Sunday Morning S 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night SSW 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 0 - 10
Sunday Morning SE 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SE 10 - 20
Sunday Night SE 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 0 - 10
Sunday Morning S 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Sunday Night S 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 5 - 15
Sunday Morning SW 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night S 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 Morning SW 15 - 25 SW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 --- - SW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 W 15 - 25 --- - WNW 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 15 - 25 W 10 - 20 W 20 - 30 --- - W 15 - 25
Sunday Morning SW 15 - 25 SW 15 - 25 WSW 25 - 35 --- - SW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon SW 25 - 35 SW 25 - 35 SW 30 - 40 --- - WSW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning SW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Sunday Night S 15 - 25
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 10 - 20
Sunday Morning SW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Sunday Night SSW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Saturday Night W 20 - 30
Sunday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon SW 30 - 40
Sunday Night SSW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon WNW 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 15 - 25
Sunday Morning SW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night SW 20 - 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.

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k

Previous forecast from Jan 3, 2018

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