Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k
Weather Synopsis for Thursday & Wednesday
A deep low pressure system well off the B.C. coast is spinning a N-S oriented front into the Pacific Northwest today. Light rain and snow already gracing the area will only increase in the afternoon as the front slowly works across the Cascades through the early evening. Snow levels hanging around 4500 ft in the north and 6000 ft at Mt. Hood this morning will slightly rise through the day. More moderate precipitation will continue through the evening hours before tapering down overnight.
Friday is a relative break day with a dirty ridge building over the inland Pacific Northwest and the main tap of moisture aimed into northern California. A few periods of light rain are likely Friday. The south and central Cascades will likely see a few sunbreaks Friday morning through mid-day, with cloudier conditions expected over the north Cascades and down at Mt. Hood. Milder air will continue to work into the region.
An impressive and developing low pressure system offshore will track NE toward Vancouver Island Friday night. The approaching frontal band will likely bring stormy conditions to the Cascades by early Saturday morning with snow levels peaking Friday night. The highest snow levels are currently pegged for the Olympics, and Snoqualmie Pass and southward. Offshore gradients will increase Friday night, but the air mass is too warm for easterly flow to have any cooling effect in the Passes.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Thursday | Light rain and snow becoming light to occasionally moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. |
| Thursday Night | Light rain and snow becoming cloudy with periods of light rain and snow in the evening. |
| Friday | Mostly cloudy. Periods of light rain and snow. Milder. |
| Friday Night | Cloudy with light rain and snow becoming light to moderate rain and snow late Friday night with increasing winds. Mild. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
| Thursday | Light rain and snow becoming light to moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. |
| Thursday Night | Light to moderate rain and snow becoming light after midnight. |
| Friday | Mostly cloudy. Periods of light rain and snow. Milder. |
| Friday Night | Cloudy with light rain and snow becoming moderate rain and snow south and central Cascades late Friday night with increasing winds. Mild. |
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Thursday | Light rain and snow becoming light to moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. |
| Thursday Night | Light to moderate rain and snow becoming light after midnight. |
| Friday | Mostly cloudy southeast and central-east, cloudy north. Periods of light rain and snow. Milder. |
| Friday Night | Cloudy with light rain and snow becoming light to moderate rain and snow southeast and central-east Cascades late Friday night with increasing winds. Mild. |
Mt. Hood
| Thursday | Light rain and snow becoming light to moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. |
| Thursday Night | Light to moderate rain and snow becoming light after midnight. |
| Friday | Cloudy. Periods of light rain and snow. Milder. |
| Friday Night | Cloudy with light rain and snow becoming light to moderate rain and snow after midnight with increasing winds. Mild. |
Issued: 7:44 AM PDT Thursday, April 5, 2018
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | Snow Level | 5500' | 4500' | 4000' | ' | ' | 5000' | ' | 6000' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level | 6000' | 5000' | 5000' | ' | ' | 5500' | ' | 6500' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | 6000' | 6000' | 5000' | ' | ' | 6500' | ' | 7000' |
| Friday Morning | Snow Level | 5500' | 5500' | 5000' | ' | ' | 6000' | ' | 7000' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | 6500' | 6500' | 6500' | ' | ' | 7000' | ' | 8000' |
| Friday Night | Snow Level | 8500' | 6500' | 6000' | ' | ' | 8500' | ' | 10000' |
| Thursday Evening | Snow Level | 6500' | 5500' | 5500' | ' | ' | 6000' | ' | 7000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 8500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 8500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 10000' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 7000' |
* 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
| Wednesday | Wednesday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0.75 - 1.00 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Washington Pass | 0 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | 0 - 0.75 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0 - 1.00 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Mission Ridge | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Crystal Mt | 0 - 0.75 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Paradise | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0 - 0.75 |
| White Pass | 0 - 0.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0 - 1.00 | 0 - 1.00 |
| Timberline | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0 - 1.00 |
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: 7:44 AM PDT Thursday, April 5, 2018
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | S 10 - 20 | S 15 - 30 | SE 5 - 15 | --- - | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 15 - 25 | SSE 10 - 20 | SSE 10 - 20 | --- - | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | S 10 - 20 | S 10 - 20 | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | S 5 - 15 | SSE 10 - 20 | S 5 - 15 | --- - | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 | SE 5 - 15 | SE 5 - 15 | --- - | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | ESE 15 - 25 | E 10 - 20 | E 15 - 25 | --- - | E 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | S 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | ESE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | S 15 - 30 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | E 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | S 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | ESE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | S 15 - 30 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | E 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | S 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | E 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | E 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SSW 20 - 30 | SW 15 - 25 | SW 25 - 35 | --- - | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 15 - 30 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 25 - 35 | --- - | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 | SW 10 - 20 | WSW 20 - 30 | --- - | SW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 10 - 20 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 | SW 5 - 15 | SW 10 - 20 | --- - | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | SSE 15 - 25 | SSE 10 - 20 | S 25 - 40 | --- - | SW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SSW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SSW 15 - 30 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | SSE 15 - 25 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | S 25 - 40 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Morning | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | SW 30 - 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.
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k
Previous forecast from Apr 1, 2018
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