Issued: 2:48 PM PST Monday, February 12, 2018
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 Monday & Friday

A high amplitude ridge centered outside of 140W and extending north into the Yukon will lead to another dry day in the Pacific Northwest with NE flow aloft.  Clear skies will hold all day Monday and cold temperatures seen this morning will moderate somewhat during the afternoon. 

The upper level ridge will begin to flatten over the region on Tuesday as a frontal system begins to drop south across British Columbia. Clouds will increase over the Washington Cascades and Olympics on Tuesday and crest level westerly winds will begin to pick up over the central and north Cascades.  Freezing levels will stay cool in the north but will warm further to the south, becoming mild for the south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood on Tuesday afternoon.

Winds will increase further Tuesday night as the frontal system quickly sweeps through the area. Snow levels will drop rapidly as precipitation begins late in the evening. Light amounts of new snowfall are expected by early Wednesday morning, mainly across the west slopes of the Cascades.  

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Monday Mostly sunny.
Monday Night Mostly clear.
Tuesday Partly to mostly clear in the morning, becoming cloudy in the afternoon.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Monday Mostly sunny.
Monday Night Mostly clear.
Tuesday Partly to mostly clear in the morning, becoming cloudy north Cascades and partly cloudy south Cascades in the afternoon. Milder south Cascades including Crystal, Mt. Rainier and White Pass.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Monday Mostly sunny.
Monday Night Mostly clear.
Tuesday Partly to mostly clear in the morning, becoming cloudy northeast Cascades and partly cloudy southeast Cascades in the afternoon. Increasing crest level winds northeast Cascades in the afternoon.
Mt. Hood
Monday Mostly sunny. Moderate N-NE winds in the alpine.
Monday Night Mostly clear.
Tuesday Mostly clear in the morning, becoming partly cloudy with periods of high clouds 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
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level 3500' 2000' 3500' ' ' 3000' ' 3000'
Monday Night Freezing Level 4000' 2000' 2000' ' ' 2000' ' 4000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level 4000' 2000' 2000' ' ' 1500' ' 5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level 6500' 3500' 5000' ' ' 6000' ' 9000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
4000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
4000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
6500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
2500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
2000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
2000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
2000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
1500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
2000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
2000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
5000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
1500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Monday Night Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Monday Night Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
2000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
1500'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
6000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
2000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Monday Night Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
4000'
Tuesday Morning Freezing Level
5000'
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
9000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
2000'

* 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

Friday Friday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Paradise LT 0.10 LT 0.25
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
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
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 --- - ENE 5 - 15
Monday Night VAR 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 NW 0 - 10 --- - VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10 SW 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 --- - SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 --- - WSW 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night SW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night W 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night SSW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night NW 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning W 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night SW 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15
Monday Night VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night WSW 15 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night SW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night W 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night SSW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Monday Night NW 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning W 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night SW 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon ENE 5 - 15
Monday Night VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Morning SW 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night WSW 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
Monday Afternoon NW 10 - 20 NNW 15 - 30 N 15 - 25 --- - NE 30 - 40
Monday Night NW 5 - 15 NW 10 - 20 NW 10 - 20 --- - NNE 15 - 30
Tuesday Morning WNW 20 - 30 W 15 - 25 NW 15 - 25 --- - NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40 WSW 35 - 45 W 25 - 35 --- - WNW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon NW 10 - 20
Monday Night NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Morning WNW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Tuesday Night WSW 30 - 40
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon NNW 15 - 30
Monday Night NW 10 - 20
Tuesday Morning W 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon WSW 35 - 45
Tuesday Night WSW 35 - 45
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon N 15 - 25
Monday Night NW 10 - 20
Tuesday Morning NW 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon W 25 - 35
Tuesday Night WSW 40 - 50
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Monday Afternoon NE 30 - 40
Monday Night NNE 15 - 30
Tuesday Morning NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon WNW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night W 40 - 50

Extended Weather Synopsis for Friday night through Friday

The frontal boundary will pass through the Cascades early Wednesday morning and as the trailing upper trough axis digs into central Oregon Wednesday afternoon, the flow aloft will once again turn NW.  Snow showers at cool snow levels on Wednesday will taper off for the northwest and central-west Cascades, but continue for the southwest Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood.  The trough will quickly pass into the Intermountain West Wednesday night with showers shutting off overnight.

The broad upper level ridge will assume it's familiar position over the last several weeks offshore, with systems coursing over the ridge and through the Pacific Northwest in NW flow aloft. Weak warm frontal moisture should bring light snow to most of the Washington Cascades and Olympics by Thursday afternoon with precipitation increasing further overnight. This system looks largely to miss Mt. Hood and once again favors the west slopes of the Washington Cascades.  Post-frontal showers will continue Friday, but the ridge will begin to shift the jet stream further north allowing snow levels to rise during the day. 

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Wednesday Light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the morning becoming mostly cloudy and scattered Olympics, northwest and central-west Cascades in the afternoon. Partly to mostly cloudy east slopes of the Cascades. Showers ending overnight. Thursday Cloudy Olympics and west slopes of the Cascades with light snow developing in the afternoon. Becoming cloudy east slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood. Light to occasionally moderate snow central-west and northwest Cascades overnight. Friday Light rain and snow showers, occasionally moderate west slopes of the Cascades. Warming trend.

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Wednesday Snow Level 1500' - 2500' 1500' - 2500' 2000' - 3000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level 0' - 1000' 500' - 1500' 1500' - 2500'
Thursday Snow Level 500' - 1500' 500' - 1500' 1000' - 2000'
Thursday Night Snow Level 1500' - 2500' 1500' - 2500' 2000' - 3000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Wednesday Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
0' - 1000'
Thursday Snow Level
500' - 1500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Friday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Wednesday Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
500' - 1500'
Thursday Snow Level
500' - 1500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Friday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Wednesday Snow Level
2000' - 3000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
1500' - 2500'
Thursday Snow Level
1000' - 2000'
Thursday Night Snow Level
2000' - 3000'
Friday 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 12, 2018

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