Issued: 6:43 AM PST Thursday, December 27, 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 Thursday & Sunday

A trough centered over the Intermountain West will bring cool N-NW flow to the region as a broad ridge builds offshore on Thursday. The flow will be sufficiently moist to keep low clouds, fog, and a chance of flurries in the forecast. Very weak NW-SE oriented convergence zones will locally enhance snow and cloud in parts of the west slopes Cascades foothills and into the lower passes. Clouds will decrease throughout the day.

Late Thursday night some light snow will arrive in the Olympic mountains from the west as a significant warm front approaches. The Cascades will remain clear and cold.

On Friday, the warm front will be draped parallel to the British Colombia and Washington coastlines. Clouds will lower and thicken with light snow arriving in the Olympics in the morning and in the Cascades by early afternoon. 

Friday night the warm front crosses the region bringing moderate to heavy snow changing to rain at Snoqualmie Pass around midnight as easterly flow in the evening switches to westerly, while Stevens Pass will change to rain after midnight. 

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
Thursday Morning Snow Level 1500' 1000' 500' 1000' 1500' 1500' 1000' 2000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level 3000' 2000' 2000' 2000' 2500' 2500' 2500' 3000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level 3000' 1500' 1500' 1500' 1500' 2000' 2000' 2500'
Thursday Night Snow Level 2500' 500' 0' 500' 500' 500' 500' 1000'
Friday Morning Snow Level 3000' 500' 0' 500' 500' 1000' 1500' 1500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
3000'
Thursday Night Snow Level
2500'
Friday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
500'
Friday Morning Snow Level
500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
0'
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
500'
Friday Morning Snow Level
500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
2500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
1500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
500'
Friday Morning Snow Level
500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
2500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Night Snow Level
500'
Friday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
1000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
2500'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2000'
Thursday Night Snow Level
500'
Friday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Thursday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Thursday Evening Freezing Level
2500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
1000'
Friday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'

* 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

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Thursday Morning WNW 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 W 10 - 20 WNW 5 - 15 WNW 15 - 25
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 10 - 20
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20 VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 10 - 20
Thursday Night W 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 WNW 10 - 20
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15 SW 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Morning WNW 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning SW 0 - 10
Friday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning W 10 - 20
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning W 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Thursday Morning WNW 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning W 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Morning WNW 15 - 25
Thursday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night WNW 10 - 20
Friday Morning W 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning WNW 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Thursday Night VAR 0 - 10
Friday Morning SW 0 - 10
Friday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning W 10 - 20
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning W 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning WNW 5 - 15
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Evening W 5 - 15
Thursday Night W 5 - 15
Friday Morning W 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning WNW 15 - 25
Thursday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Thursday Evening W 10 - 20
Thursday Night WNW 10 - 20
Friday Morning W 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon WSW 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 NW 10 - 20 NNW 15 - 25 NNW 20 - 30 NNW 25 - 35 NNW 25 - 35
Thursday Afternoon NW 10 - 20 NW 15 - 25 NNW 20 - 30 NNW 20 - 30 NNW 20 - 30
Thursday Evening NW 10 - 20 NW 10 - 20 NNW 25 - 35 NNW 30 - 45 NNW 30 - 45
Thursday Night NW 15 - 25 NW 15 - 25 NNW 25 - 35 NNW 30 - 45 NNW 30 - 45
Friday Morning W 15 - 25 NW 10 - 20 NW 20 - 30 NNW 20 - 30 NNW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NW 10 - 20
Thursday Afternoon NW 10 - 20
Thursday Evening NW 10 - 20
Thursday Night NW 15 - 25
Friday Morning W 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NNW 15 - 25
Thursday Afternoon NW 15 - 25
Thursday Evening NW 10 - 20
Thursday Night NW 15 - 25
Friday Morning NW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NNW 20 - 30
Thursday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Thursday Evening NNW 25 - 35
Thursday Night NNW 25 - 35
Friday Morning NW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NNW 25 - 35
Thursday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Thursday Evening NNW 30 - 45
Thursday Night NNW 30 - 45
Friday Morning NNW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning NNW 25 - 35
Thursday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Thursday Evening NNW 30 - 45
Thursday Night NNW 30 - 45
Friday Morning NNW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon NW 20 - 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.

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

Previous forecast from Dec 26, 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.