Issued: 1:27 PM PST Sunday, February 23, 2014
by Dennis D'Amico

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

Weather Synopsis for Sunday & Thursday

A warm front has pushed through our area and continued light snow in the central and north WA Cascades from overnight. Snow levels should continue to slowly rise through the late afternoon and early evening from Mt. Hood to around Snoqualmie Pass although even stations further north are seeing a bump in temperatures.  Weak easterly flow has begun in Snoqualmie and Stevens Passes insulating these locations from much of a rise.  Precipitation should increase in the late afternoon and early evening hours before the cold front comes through the area this evening with some light rain and snow eventually reaching Mt. Hood. 

Cold high pressure over the Canadian Rockies should slide south and west tonight and strengthen a period of easterly offshore flow for the Cascade Passes. A large west to east temperature gradient should develop over Washington State through early next week. Snow levels near the Cascade Passes will remain quite cool on Monday while free-air snow levels over the Olympics rise to around 5000 or 6000 feet. Showers behind the frontal system should wind down overnight.  A more disorganized frontal system should lift over the area Monday afternoon and evening bringing another round of light precipitation.   

Weather Forecast

Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening

Light rain or snow increasing and becoming occasionally moderate in the mid-afternoon and spreading to the south Washington Cascades during the late afternoon.  Gradual warming mainly Olympics and Snoqualmie Pass and south. 

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow showers. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening

Light snow increasing and becoming occasionally moderate near the crest in the mid-afternoon and spreading to the southeast Washington Cascades during the late afternoon. Gradual warming southeast Cascades. 

Sunday Night - Monday Morning

Mostly cloudy with light snow showers. 

Mt. Hood Area
Sunday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight warming. 

Sunday Night

Light rain or snow increasing and becoming occasionally moderate in the early evening.   Gradual warming overnight.  

Monday Morning

Mostly cloudy with light rain or snow showers. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level 2500' ' ' ' ' 2500' ' 4000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level 2000' ' ' ' ' 3000' ' 4500'
Sunday Night Snow Level * 2500' ' ' ' ' 2000' ' 6000'
Monday Snow Level * 5000' ' ' ' ' 2000' ' 6500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
7000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Washington Pass Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Leavenworth Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Stevens Pass Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
2000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Mid-day Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
6000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Snow Level
6500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Monday Night Snow Level
7000'
(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.

Precipitation Forecast

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20 --- - SW 15 - 25 --- - SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 5 - 15 --- - SW 15 - 25 --- - WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SW 5 - 15 --- - SSE 5 - 15 --- - SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening S 5 - 15 --- - ESE 10 - 20 --- - S 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening S 5 - 15
Monday Night SSE 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Elevation
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day --- -
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening --- -
Monday Night --- -
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 15 - 25
Sunday Evening SW 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SSE 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening ESE 10 - 20
Monday Night ESE 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day --- -
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening S 5 - 15
Monday Night E 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening S 5 - 15
Monday Night SSE 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day --- -
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening --- -
Monday Night --- -
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 15 - 25
Sunday Evening SW 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SSE 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening ESE 10 - 20
Monday Night ESE 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Evening --- -
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day --- -
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening SW 10 - 20
Sunday Evening WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Night - Monday Mid-day SW 5 - 15
Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening S 5 - 15
Monday 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
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night --- - --- - WNW 25 - 35 --- - WNW 25 - 40
Monday --- - --- - WNW 15 - 25 --- - WNW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night --- -
Monday --- -
Monday Night --- -
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night --- -
Monday --- -
Monday Night --- -
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night WNW 25 - 35
Monday WNW 15 - 25
Monday Night WNW 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night --- -
Monday --- -
Monday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Night WNW 25 - 40
Monday WNW 15 - 25
Monday Night SW 5 - 15

Extended Weather Synopsis for Thursday night through Thursday

Split flow should develop over the Pacific Northwest through the extended period with a blocking high over Alaska and a stronger southern jet aiming systems into California.  

Isolated showers in southerly flow may continue on Tuesday and Tuesday night with continued easterly flow through the passes. By Tuesday the cold air may reach Mt. Hood as colder air over the east slopes drains to the west.  Moderate east winds should reach crest level on Tuesday. For western slopes not affected by the cool easterly flow...expect further warming to take place. Wednesday could be a dry day as a weak upper level ridge stays over eastern Washington and a decaying frontal band approaches the coast.  Colder air should begin to moderate over the east slopes on Wednesday. Isolated showers are forecast to return on Thursday as an open wave passes through the PNW while most of the energy and moisture stays well south into California.  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Tuesday

Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated showers. Gradual warming continues away from the Cascade Passes and areas on Mt. Hood exposed to cool easterly winds. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday

Partly cloudy and mild. 

Wednesday Night - Thursday

Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated rain and snow showers increasing on Thursday. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level ' - ' 3000' - 5000' 5000' - 7000' *
Wednesday Freezing Level ' - ' 6500' - 7500' 7000' - 8000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level
' - '
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Freezing Level
' - '
Wednesday Night - Thursday Freezing Level
' - '
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level
3000' - 5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Freezing Level
6500' - 7500'
Wednesday Night - Thursday Freezing Level
5000' - 6000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday - Tuesday Night Snow Level
5000' - 7000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Freezing Level
7000' - 8000'
Wednesday Night - Thursday Freezing Level
5000' - 6000'

* 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 Feb 23, 2014

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