Issued: 6:22 AM PST Sunday, December 23, 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 & Thursday

A shallow trough sits over the Pacific Northwest following the passage of a rapidly moving front leaving the region under post-frontal flow on Sunday. Post-frontal snow showers will gradually decrease from Sunday afternoon through Sunday night. In Washington state, they become very light on Monday and generally ending as winds become light.

A zonal jetstream on Sunday aimed for Southern Oregon will enhance winds in the Mt. Hood area Sunday and Sunday night before spawning a rapidly-moving cutoff low that drops SE toward northern California on Monday and Monday evening. The Mt. Hood will be at the northern end of the closed low's precipitation shield on Monday and moderate and gusty winds will shift to the east on Monday afternoon as flow wrap around the low. Any chance of snow showers will end Monday monday night on Mt. Hood.

Tuesday, a shortwave ridge offshore works into the region in advance of the system dropping SE and slated to impact the region on Wednesday.

Weather Forecast

Hurricane Ridge
Mt. Baker
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
Mt. Hood

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' 1000' 500' 1500' 2000' 3000' 4000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level 3000' 2500' 1500' 2000' 2500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
Sunday Evening Snow Level 3000' 2500' 2000' 2500' 3000' 3000' 3000' 4000'
Sunday Night Snow Level 3000' 2000' 1000' 2000' 3000' 3000' 2500' 3500'
Monday Morning Snow Level 2500' 1500' 500' 1500' 2500' 2500' 2000' 3000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
1000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
1500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3000'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Evening Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3500'
Monday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Monday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'

* 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 Night Thursday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge 0.25 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area 0.75 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Washington Pass 0.25 LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Leavenworth LT 0.25 0 0
Stevens Pass 0.50 - 0.75 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass 0.75 0.25 0
Mission Ridge LT 0.25 LT 0.10 0
Crystal Mt 0.50 LT 0.25 0
Paradise 1.00 0.50 LT 0.10
White Pass 0.50 - 0.75 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows 0.75 -1.00 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.25
1.00 0.75 LT 0.25
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.25
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Thursday LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.75
Sunday Night LT 0.25
Thursday LT 0.10
Washington Pass Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.25
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Thursday LT 0.10
Leavenworth Precipitation Forecast
Sunday LT 0.25
Sunday Night 0
Thursday 0
Stevens Pass Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.50 - 0.75
Sunday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Thursday LT 0.25
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.75
Sunday Night 0.25
Thursday 0
Mission Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Sunday LT 0.25
Sunday Night LT 0.10
Thursday 0
Crystal Mt Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.50
Sunday Night LT 0.25
Thursday 0
Paradise Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 1.00
Sunday Night 0.50
Thursday LT 0.10
White Pass Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.50 - 0.75
Sunday Night 0.25
Thursday LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 0.75 -1.00
Sunday Night 0.50 - 0.75
Thursday LT 0.25
Timberline Precipitation Forecast
Sunday 1.00
Sunday Night 0.75
Thursday LT 0.25

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 SSW 15 - 25 S 15 - 25 WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Evening SW 5 - 15 SSW 5 - 15 WSW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Night SW 0 - 10 SSW 5 - 15 W 10 - 20 WSW 5 - 15 WSW 15 - 25
Monday Morning E 0 - 10 S 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night SW 0 - 10
Monday Morning E 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SSW 5 - 15
Sunday Night SSW 5 - 15
Monday Morning S 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Sunday Morning S 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20
Sunday Night WSW 5 - 15
Monday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Morning WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Afternoon WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Evening WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Night WSW 15 - 25
Monday Morning W 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon E 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night SW 0 - 10
Monday Morning E 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SSW 5 - 15
Sunday Night SSW 5 - 15
Monday Morning S 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Monday Morning W 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning S 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20
Sunday Night WSW 5 - 15
Monday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Monday Afternoon E 5 - 15
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Afternoon WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Evening WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Night WSW 15 - 25
Monday Morning W 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon 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
Sunday Morning SW 20 - 30 SW 25 - 35 WSW 30 - 45 WSW 40 - 60 WSW 50 - 70
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25 WSW 30 - 45 WSW 30 - 45 WSW 50 - 70
Sunday Evening WSW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25 W 20 - 30 W 25 - 35 WSW 45 - 65
Sunday Night WSW 15 - 25 WSW 20 - 30 W 20 - 30 W 20 - 30 WSW 35 - 50
Monday Morning WSW 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Evening WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 15 - 25
Monday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning SW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Evening WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night WSW 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Afternoon WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Evening W 20 - 30
Sunday Night W 20 - 30
Monday Morning W 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon S 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 40 - 60
Sunday Afternoon WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Evening W 25 - 35
Sunday Night W 20 - 30
Monday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Monday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Morning WSW 50 - 70
Sunday Afternoon WSW 50 - 70
Sunday Evening WSW 45 - 65
Sunday Night WSW 35 - 50
Monday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Monday Afternoon SE 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.

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

Previous forecast from Dec 22, 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.