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 & Saturday
A strong upper ridge of high pressure remains will remain far enough offshore that the Pacific Northwest will experience low freezing/snow levels through the weekend.
Although temperatures at most NWAC stations were in the 10's and 20's, the influence of the offshore high pressure ridge has enabled temperatures to warm up substantially, particularly west of the Cascade Crest. Hurricane Ridge saw temperatures rise 20F over the course of 5 hours on Saturday morning. The flow in most locations has shifted to westerly as a moisture-starved upper-level and surface closed low will approach from the northwest. The approaching low will bring a another shot of cooler air into the Pacific Northwest, but without a significant frontal feature. Westerly winds will increase into the moderate range at crest level over the north and central Cascades as the low approaches.
This fast-moving low will approach the near-shore waters late Saturday night and by Sunday morning it will make landfall on the central Oregon coast.
The compact low will bring a chance of some very light snow showers to the Olympics, central and south Cascades, and Mt. Hood, but it doesn't look like much moisture will make it onshore, so mostly expect clouds and cooling from this system.
Sunday night, expect clearing skies and with colder temperatures due to radiational cooling along with colder air moving in from the interior on weak NE flow as a high pressure builds offshore once again. Snow levels will fall to very close to sea level.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Saturday | High clouds. |
| Saturday Night | Clouds with a chance of light snow showers by morning. |
| Sunday | Chance of light snow showers, mainly as the flow turns northerly in the early afternoon hours. |
| Sunday Night | Clearing skies. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
| Saturday | High clouds moving in. |
| Saturday Night | High clouds and fair. Some fog in the lowlands. |
| Sunday | A mix of clouds and sun with some light snow showers. |
| Sunday Night | Clearing skies. |
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Saturday | Clear and fair. |
| Saturday Night | Some high clouds and fair. Fog and low clouds developing in some lowland locations or deep valleys. |
| Sunday | Partly cloudy with a chance of light snow showers. |
| Sunday Night | Mostly clear. Fog and low clouds developing in some lowland locations or deep valleys. |
Mt. Hood
| Saturday | High clouds and fair. |
| Saturday Night | High clouds and fair. Some very low clouds or fog. |
| Sunday | Increasing clouds with light snow developing during the morning hours. and becoming light snow showers during the afternoon. |
| Sunday Night | Light snow showers continuing during the evening with partly cloudy skies after midnight. |
Issued: 1:50 PM PST Saturday, February 10, 2018
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | Freezing Level | 3000' | 3000' | 3500' | ' | ' | 4000' | ' | 4500' |
| Saturday Night | Freezing Level | 2500' | 2500' | 2500' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 6500' |
| Sunday Morning | Snow Level | 1500' | 1000' | 1000' | ' | ' | 2000' | ' | 2500' |
| Sunday Afternoon | Snow Level | 1500' | 1500' | 1500' | ' | ' | 2000' | ' | 2500' |
| Sunday Night | Snow Level * | 0' | 0' | 0' | ' | ' | 1000' | ' | 1000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 2500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 2500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 2500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 0' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4500' |
| Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 6500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1000' (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 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
LT = less than; WE or Water equivalent is the liquid water equivalent of melted snow in hundredths of inches. As a rough approximation 1 inch of snow = about .10 inches WE, or 10 inches of snow = about 1 inch WE.
Issued: 1:50 PM PST Saturday, February 10, 2018
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 | WSW 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | --- - | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 | SW 5 - 15 | W 10 - 20 | --- - | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | N 0 - 10 | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 | N 5 - 15 | NNW 5 - 15 | --- - | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NE 10 - 20 | NNE 10 - 20 | VAR 0 - 10 | --- - | NE 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Morning | N 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NNE 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NE 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Morning | N 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NNE 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night | NE 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 25 - 35 | W 20 - 30 | W 25 - 35 | --- - | NNW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | W 20 - 30 | W 20 - 30 | W 30 - 40 | --- - | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | NNE 10 - 20 | NNE 5 - 15 | WNW 15 - 25 | --- - | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 15 - 25 | N 20 - 30 | ENE 10 - 20 | --- - | NW 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Night | NE 25 - 35 | NNE 20 - 30 | N 15 - 25 | --- - | NNE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 25 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | W 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Morning | NNE 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night | NE 25 - 35 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Morning | NNE 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | N 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Night | NNE 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | W 25 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon | ENE 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Night | N 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | NNW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Night | NNE 15 - 25 |
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.
Issued: 1:50 PM PST Saturday, February 10, 2018
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
A northeasterly flow will keep cool air in place on Monday as fair weather prevails. Monday night the flow aloft will switch to northerly as an E-W oriented high pressure bulges into the Pacific Northwest with a deeper trough to the north and the departed closed low to the south over California. Light to moderate easterly flow can be expected at the passes Monday and Monday night.
Tuesday will feature high pressure with light winds and warming for many locations as an approaching system from the N-NW shifts the flow to allow warmer air from the Pacific high to come onshore. Expect more spring-like conditions on Tuesday.
Tuesday night will see the onset of a broad trough and a weakening storm system on N-NW flow. Temperatures will cool significantly as the storm approaches and arrives with low snow levels on Wednesday. Snow showers can be expected in the mountains Tuesday night and Wednesday on a cool N-NW flow.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Freezing Level | 500' - 2500' | 1000' - 3000' | 500' - 2500' | * |
| Monday Night | Freezing Level | 1500' - 2500' | 2500' - 3500' | 3000' - 5000' | * |
| Tuesday | Freezing Level | 2000' - 3000' | 4000' - 5000' | 7000' - 9000' | |
| Tuesday Night | Snow Level | 1000' - 2000' | 2000' - 3000' | 3000' - 5000' | |
| Wednesday | Snow Level | 1500' - 2500' | 500' - 1500' | 2000' - 3000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday |
Freezing Level 500' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Freezing Level 1500' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 1500' - 2500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday |
Freezing Level 1000' - 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Freezing Level 2500' - 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 500' - 1500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday |
Freezing Level 500' - 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Freezing Level 3000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 7000' - 9000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 3000' - 5000' |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
* 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 10, 2018
The NWAC program is administered by the USDA-Forest Service and operates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Seattle. NWAC services are made possible by important collaboration and support from a wide variety of federal, state and private cooperators.