Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Sunday
An east to west oriented cold front is sliding south across the Washington Cascades this afternoon. After a burst of moderate to heavy precipitation (mainly rain) with the frontal passage late this afternoon and evening, snow levels will fall quickly. A change to snow is expected prior to 7 PM for Stevens Pass and 7-9 PM for Snoqualmie Pass. Areas further south like White Pass and Mt. Hood will switch to snow later in the evening.
Strong westerly winds before and after the frontal passage will keep the windy conditions going for most areas. Orographic snow showers and a possible Puget Convergence zone will add a burst of light to moderate snowfall along the west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood through Sunday morning. Showers should diminish on Sunday with a clearing trend likely for the east slopes of the Cascades but with only a slight improving trend on the west side.
An upper level ridge will amplify offshore and high pressure will strectch over the region. We should see a cool and dry Monday. Many locations will see sunshine for the last day of 2018, although we'll watch for some low clouds getting pulled through the Cascades Passes with light easterly flow.
Weather Forecast
Hurricane Ridge
| Saturday Night | Moderate rain and snow early in the evening, becoming light snow showers by late evening. Sharp cooling trend. Moderate west winds. |
| Sunday | Mostly cloudy with light snow showers in the morning becoming isolated light snow showers with sunbreaks in the afternoon. |
Mt. Baker
| Saturday Night | Moderate to heavy rain and snow early in the evening, becoming light snow showers by late evening. Sharp cooling trend. Moderate west winds. |
| Sunday | Cloudy with light snow showers in the morning becoming isolated light snow showers with possible sunbreaks in the afternoon. |
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
| Saturday Night | Light to moderate rain and snow early in the evening, becoming light snow showers by late evening. Sharp cooling trend. Moderate west winds. |
| Sunday | Cloudy with light snow showers in the morning near the Cascade crest becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Moderate west winds slowly decreasing during the day. |
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
| Saturday Night | Moderate to heavy rain early in the evening, becoming light to moderate snow showers by late evening. Sharp cooling trend. Moderate to strong west winds. |
| Sunday | Light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered light snow showers in the afternoon. Moderate west winds decreasing during the morning. |
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
| Saturday Night | Moderate rain and snow in the evening, becoming light to occasionally moderate snow showers by late evening. Sharp cooling trend. Moderate to strong west winds. |
| Sunday | Light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered light snow showers in the afternoon. Moderate west winds decreasing during the morning. |
Mt. Hood
| Saturday Night | Moderate to occasionally heavy rain and freezing rain, becoming light to occasionally moderate snow showers after midnight. Sharp cooling trend. Moderate to strong west winds. |
| Sunday | Light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the morning becoming scattered light snow showers in the afternoon. Moderate west winds decreasing late in the day. |
Issued: 2:23 PM PST Saturday, December 29, 2018
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | Snow Level | 3500' | 3500' | 4500' | 5000' | 4500' | 5000' | 5500' | 6500' |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | 2500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' | 3000' | 4000' |
| Sunday Morning | Snow Level | 2000' | 2000' | 1500' | 1500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' |
| Sunday Afternoon | Snow Level | 2000' | 1500' | 1500' | 1500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' |
| Sunday Evening | Snow Level | 2000' | 1000' | 500' | 1000' | 1500' | 1500' | 1500' | 2500' |
| Sunday Night | Freezing Level | 1500' | 500' | 0' | 500' | 500' | 500' | 500' | 1500' |
| Monday Morning | Freezing Level | 1500' | 500' | 0' | 500' | 500' | 500' | 500' | 1500' |
| Monday Afternoon | Freezing Level | 3000' | 2000' | 1500' | 2000' | 2000' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 1500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 1500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 2000' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 0' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 0' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 1500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 2000' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 2000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 2000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 2500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 1500' |
| Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 1500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Freezing 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
| Saturday Night | Sunday | Sunday Night | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Pass | 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Leavenworth | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | 0.75 -1.00 | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 1.50 | 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Paradise | 1.00 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| White Pass | 0.75 -1.00 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Timberline | 1.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday Night | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday Night | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday Night | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Leavenworth | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday Night | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.75 -1.00 |
| Sunday | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Sunday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 1.50 |
| Sunday | 0.50 |
| Sunday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday Night | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.50 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday Night | 0 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 1.00 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0.75 -1.00 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| Sunday | 0.25 |
| Sunday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | 0 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 1.50 |
| Sunday | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Sunday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | 0 |
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: 2:23 PM PST Saturday, December 29, 2018
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 20 - 30 | W 15 - 30 | W 25 - 35 | WSW 25 - 40 | SW 40 - 60 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 25 | W 15 - 30 | W 25 - 40 | W 25 - 40 | W 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | NW 10 - 20 | W 15 - 25 | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 | NW 0 - 10 | NW 5 - 15 | WNW 5 - 15 | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 15 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 30 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 25 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | W 25 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WSW 25 - 40 |
| Saturday Night | W 25 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | SW 40 - 60 |
| Saturday Night | W 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 15 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | W 15 - 30 |
| Sunday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 25 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | W 25 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WSW 25 - 40 |
| Saturday Night | W 25 - 40 |
| Sunday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | SW 40 - 60 |
| Saturday Night | W 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 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.
Free Winds at 9000' (mph)
| Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 35 - 45 | WSW 55 - 65 | WSW 60 - 70 | WSW 60 - 70 | W 60 - 70 |
| Saturday Night | W 35 - 45 | WNW 40 - 50 | WSW 40 - 60 | W 40 - 50 | W 60 - 70 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 15 - 25 | NW 25 - 35 | W 40 - 50 | WNW 25 - 35 | NW 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 15 - 25 | NW 20 - 30 | NW 30 - 40 | NW 25 - 35 | NW 35 - 45 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 35 - 45 |
| Saturday Night | W 35 - 45 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 15 - 25 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WSW 55 - 65 |
| Saturday Night | WNW 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 25 - 35 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WSW 60 - 70 |
| Saturday Night | WSW 40 - 60 |
| Sunday Morning | W 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WSW 60 - 70 |
| Saturday Night | W 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Morning | WNW 25 - 35 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 25 - 35 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 60 - 70 |
| Saturday Night | W 60 - 70 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 40 - 50 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 35 - 45 |
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.
Issued: 2:23 PM PST Saturday, December 29, 2018
Extended Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Sunday
High pressure will stay in place through Tuesday but begin to flatten and give way to increasing high clouds Tuesday night and Wednesday. The storm track will begin to sag south and light rain and snow may work into the north Cascades and Olympics by Wednesday afternoon. During this relatively benign stretch of weather, look for freezing levels to creep up a bit on Tuesday, and then rise significantly on Wednesday. Westerly winds in the alpine will also increase markedly on Wednesday as the ridge collapses.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Night | Freezing Level | 1000' - 2000' | 1000' - 2000' | 1500' - 2500' | |
| Tuesday | Freezing Level | 3000' - 4000' | 4000' - 5000' | 6000' - 7000' | |
| Tuesday Night | Freezing Level | 3500' - 4500' | 4000' - 5000' | 6000' - 7000' | * |
| Wednesday | Snow Level | 4000' - 5000' | 5500' - 6500' | 8000' - 9000' | * |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Freezing Level 3500' - 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 5500' - 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Night |
Freezing Level 1500' - 2500' |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 6000' - 7000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Freezing Level 6000' - 7000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 8000' - 9000' (Easterly Flow *) |
* 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 Dec 29, 2018
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