Issued: 7:08 AM PST Saturday, February 8, 2020
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Saturday & Sunday

A significant cold front brought typical winter snow levels back to the Pacific Northwest as it continues to impact the region with moderate to heavy snowfall. Moderate to strong convergence activity should bring moderate to heavy snowfall to the central Washington Cascades through the morning hours with unstable air and strong W flow continuing to produce heavy mountain snowfall further south. The storm system brought strong to extreme winds with gusts above 100 mph for upper elevations near White Pass and gusts in the 80's and 90 mph range recorded for upper elevations on Mt. Hood and Mission Ridge. Higher elevations from I-90 southward and the east slopes of the Cascades, in particular, should continue to experience very strong to extreme winds as the momentum winds down during the day.

A ridge building offshore with a trough digging to our east should switch the winds northerly and gradually shuts the snow off from north to south. This is already happening in the Mt. Baker area. Mt. Hood should be the last hold-out this evening with light snow showers ending. NNE winds should allow clearing skies in most areas Saturday night with good radiational cooling.

With a strong offshore ridge edging into our region from the west, expect clear skies with cool temperatures in the morning and freezing levels rising to 3000-4000 ft in the afternoon. Winds should be light out of the north.

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
Saturday Morning Snow Level 2500' 2000' 1500' 2000' 2500' 2500' 2500' 2000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 2500' 2500' 2500' 3000' 2500' 2500' 2500' 2000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level 2000' 2000' 1500' 2000' 2000' 2000' 1500' 2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level 2500' 1000' 0' 1500' 2000' 2000' 1500' 2000'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level 3000' 2500' 3000' 3000' 2500' 2500' 3500' 3500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
3000'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
1000'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
1500'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
0'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
3000'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
1500'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
3000'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
3500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
2000'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
2000'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
3000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
1500'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
1500'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
3500'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
4000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
2000'
Sunday Morning Freezing Level
3500'
Sunday Afternoon Freezing Level
4000'

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning VAR 0 - 10 NNW 0 - 10 W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 W 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon NE 0 - 10 N 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 20 - 30
Saturday Evening NNE 0 - 10 NNE 0 - 10 NW 0 - 10 NW 0 - 10 VAR 0 - 10
Saturday Night WNW 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 ENE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning NW 0 - 10 --- 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 W 0 - 10 ESE 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Saturday Afternoon NE 0 - 10
Saturday Evening NNE 0 - 10
Saturday Night WNW 0 - 10
Sunday Morning NW 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon WNW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning NNW 0 - 10
Saturday Afternoon N 0 - 10
Saturday Evening NNE 0 - 10
Saturday Night W 0 - 10
Sunday Morning --- 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening NW 0 - 10
Saturday Night W 0 - 10
Sunday Morning W 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening NW 0 - 10
Saturday Night W 0 - 10
Sunday Morning W 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon WNW 0 - 10
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning W 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Saturday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Saturday Night ENE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning ESE 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Saturday Afternoon NE 0 - 10
Saturday Evening NNE 0 - 10
Saturday Night WNW 0 - 10
Sunday Morning NW 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon WNW 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning NNW 0 - 10
Saturday Afternoon N 0 - 10
Saturday Evening NNE 0 - 10
Saturday Night W 0 - 10
Sunday Morning --- 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening NW 0 - 10
Saturday Night W 0 - 10
Sunday Morning W 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening NW 0 - 10
Saturday Night W 0 - 10
Sunday Morning W 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon WNW 0 - 10
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Saturday Evening VAR 0 - 10
Saturday Night ENE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning ESE 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon W 0 - 10

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 Morning NNW 5 - 15 NW 20 - 30 NW 30 - 40 WNW 25 - 35 WNW 40 - 50
Saturday Afternoon N 10 - 20 NNW 25 - 35 NNW 25 - 35 NNW 20 - 30 NNW 20 - 30
Saturday Evening NNE 30 - 40 NNE 25 - 35 NNE 25 - 35 NNE 15 - 25 NNE 10 - 20
Saturday Night N 15 - 25 N 15 - 25 N 15 - 25 NNE 15 - 25 NNE 15 - 25
Sunday Morning NNW 15 - 25 NNW 15 - 25 NNW 20 - 30 NNW 20 - 30 NNE 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning NNW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon N 10 - 20
Saturday Evening NNE 30 - 40
Saturday Night N 15 - 25
Sunday Morning NNW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning NW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon NNW 25 - 35
Saturday Evening NNE 25 - 35
Saturday Night N 15 - 25
Sunday Morning NNW 15 - 25
Sunday Afternoon NW 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning NW 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon NNW 25 - 35
Saturday Evening NNE 25 - 35
Saturday Night N 15 - 25
Sunday Morning NNW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon NNW 25 - 35
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WNW 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Saturday Evening NNE 15 - 25
Saturday Night NNE 15 - 25
Sunday Morning NNW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WNW 40 - 50
Saturday Afternoon NNW 20 - 30
Saturday Evening NNE 10 - 20
Saturday Night NNE 15 - 25
Sunday Morning NNE 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon N 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 Feb 7, 2020

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