Issued: 7:54 AM PDT Sunday, March 25, 2018
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Sunday & Sunday

A trough lingers over the Pacific Northwest with an open low to the south over central Oregon. The atmosphere has returned to a more stable state as we get a break between storms with generally fair weather and partly cloudy skies expected on Sunday. High clouds may increase slightly in the afternoon over the Olympics ahead of the first in a series of weak, but moisture-laden systems which should approach the region on a NW flow, riding over a large ridge covering much of the eastern Pacific Ocean. The systems will bring increasing precipitation, increasing generally westerly flow, and rising snow levels.The systems have very little upper-level signature and generally weak surface fronts.

On Sunday night, a weak warm front arrives, bringing increasing wind speeds, a slight wind shift from W-SW to W, a warming trend, and increasing light snow.

Monday should see light to moderate rain and snow as temperatures gradually increase to Snoqualmie Pass level or slightly higher by the end of the day.

Monday night, a second system arrives on a NW flow as snow levels continue to rise. Snow may mix with or change to rain at Stevens Pass. Rain and snow will become moderate to occasionally heavy, with much more precipitation in the Washington Cascades than near Mt. Hood.

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Sunday Partly cloudy skies with high clouds increasing in the afternoon.
Sunday Night Cloudy with periods of light snow developing after midnight.
Monday Cloudy with periods of light snow more likely in the morning. Warming trend.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Sunday Partly cloudy.
Sunday Night Increasing light snow, mainly after midnight. Increasing W-SW winds becoming light to moderate.
Monday Light to moderate rain or snow. Gradual warming trend.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Sunday Partly cloudy.
Sunday Night Increasing light snow, mainly after midnight. Increasing W-SW winds becoming light to moderate.
Monday Light rain or snow. Gradual warming trend.
Mt. Hood
Sunday Partly cloudy with a chance of a snow shower in the afternoon.
Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, becoming cloudy. Increasing W-SW winds becoming light to moderate.
Monday Light to moderate rain or snow. Gradual warming trend.

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 2000' 2000' 2500' ' ' 2500' ' 3000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level 2500' 2500' 3000' ' ' 3000' ' 3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level 2000' 1500' 1000' ' ' 1500' ' 1500'
Monday Morning Snow Level 3000' 2500' 3500' ' ' 3000' ' 3000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level 4000' 3000' 4000' ' ' 3500' ' 3500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Monday Night Snow Level
5500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Monday Night Snow Level
3500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Monday Night Snow Level
3500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night Snow Level
4000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Monday Morning Snow Level
'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night Snow Level
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.

Precipitation Forecast

Sunday Sunday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 0.75 - 1.00
Washington Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 0 - 1.00
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.25 0 - 1.50
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Paradise LT 0.25 1.00 - 1.50
White Pass 0 - 0.75 0.50 - 0.75
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 0 - 0.50
LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 --- - WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 --- - W 20 - 30
Sunday Night SW 20 - 30 SW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30 --- - WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 --- - WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35 --- - WSW 25 - 35
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night SW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Monday Night WSW 30 - 40
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night SW 15 - 25
Monday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Night SW 20 - 35
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Monday Night WSW 25 - 40
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Monday Night WSW 25 - 40
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night SW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Monday Night WSW 30 - 40
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night SW 15 - 25
Monday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Monday Night SW 20 - 35
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning W 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Monday Night WSW 25 - 40
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon WSW 25 - 35
Monday Night WSW 25 - 40

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 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 --- - WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30 --- - WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 25 - 40 WSW 30 - 40 WSW 35 - 50 --- - W 30 - 40
Monday Morning WSW 25 - 35 WSW 25 - 35 W 35 - 50 --- - W 30 - 40
Monday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40 WSW 30 - 40 WSW 45 - 65 --- - W 30 - 40
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 25 - 40
Monday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Monday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Monday Night WSW 50 - 70
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 30 - 40
Monday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Monday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Monday Night WSW 55 - 75
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night WSW 35 - 50
Monday Morning W 35 - 50
Monday Afternoon WSW 45 - 65
Monday Night W 50 - 70
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Monday Morning --- -
Monday Afternoon --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night W 30 - 40
Monday Morning W 30 - 40
Monday Afternoon W 30 - 40
Monday Night WNW 45 - 65

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 Mar 25, 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.