Issued: 7:31 AM PST Sunday, January 7, 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 Sunday & Saturday

A frontal boundary associated with a low pressure system tracking towards the central British Columbia coast will bring generally light rain and snow to the region today along with a gradual warming trend.

Precipitation amounts have been lowered slightly versus yesterday's forecast, with occasionally moderate snowfall rates still expected for Mt. Baker and Paradise later this afternoon and evening. Snoqualmie Pass should transition to light rain this afternoon and tonight while Stevens Pass should stay as light snow during the day before briefly warming overnight. All areas should see peak warming Sunday night into Monday morning. Other than the Paradise area, the south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood will see little precipitation from this storm.

The frontal boundary will hang up over the north Cascades and Olympics tonight and weaken as a secondary shortwave digs well off the California coast, splitting the flow over the PNW.  Showers should quickly diminish Monday with some partial clearing and mild temperatures expected over the region in the afternoon. The longwave trough axis will finally kick through Monday night, invigorating showers after midnight especially along the west slopes of the Cascades. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Sunday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow. Warming trend.
Sunday Night Light rain and snow, tapering down after midnight. Mild.
Monday Light rain and snow ending in the morning with partial clearing in the afternoon.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Sunday Periods of light rain and snow, increasing in the afternoon and becoming occasionally moderate volcanoes. Slow warming trend.
Sunday Night Light rain and snow, occasionally moderate volcanoes, tapering down after midnight. Slow warming trend.
Monday Light rain and snow ending in the morning with partial clearing in the afternoon.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Sunday Periods of light rain and snow, increasing in the afternoon. Slow warming trend.
Sunday Night Light rain and snow, tapering down after midnight. Slow warming trend.
Monday Light rain and snow ending in the morning with partial clearing in the afternoon.
Mt. Hood
Sunday Periods of very light rain and snow. Mild.
Sunday Night Mostly cloudy. Mild.
Monday Partly sunny becoming cloudy with a chance of light rain or snow showers in the afternoon. Mild.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Sunday Morning Snow Level 3500' 2000' 2000' ' ' 2500' ' 6000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level * 6500' 3500' 3500' ' ' 4500' ' 7000'
Sunday Night Snow Level * 6500' 5000' 4500' ' ' 5500' ' 7000'
Monday Morning Snow Level * 6500' 5000' 4500' ' ' 5500' ' 7000'
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level * 6000' 6000' 5000' ' ' 6500' ' 7500'
Monday Night Snow Level 4500' 4000' 4000' ' ' 4500' ' 6500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
6500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
6500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
6500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
4500'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
3000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
3000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
6500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
4500'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
3500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
6000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
7000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Snow Level
7000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Morning Snow Level
7000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
7500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
6500'
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
6000'

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

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

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 6, 2018

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