Issued: 7:12 AM PST Saturday, February 22, 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 & Saturday

A weak and weakening frontal feature drops south through the area on Saturday morning. The associated scattered rain and snow showers should bring the west slopes of the central and north Cascades less than an inch in most areas above 2500 ft, with several inches of snow accumulation likely at Mt. Baker. The scattered rain/snow showers should wind down with the fizzling front by early afternoon providing a chance of some filtered sunshine or even sun breaks later this afternoon. 

Saturday evening should be mostly dry with a strong system quickly spreading increasing light rain and snow throughout the region in the early morning hours on Sunday. A well-defined warm front and cold front combination arrive Sunday morning, bringing heavy snow to most areas of the Cascades with strong winds above 5000 ft in many areas. As the fronts approach, expect a brief period of easterly flow before winds shift westerly by mid-morning. At this time it appears that Snoqualmie Pass will likely stay all snow, but a mix with rain is possible in the early morning hours before colder air moves in behind the front. Further south in the Mt. Rainier and particularly the Mt. Hood area, a better-defined warm sector of the storm should bring a bump in snow level early Sunday morning.

Moderate to locally heavy post-frontal rain and snow should continue and will likely intensify over Washington State in the afternoon as the detached and vertically stacked upper low moves onshore.

Many areas of the Cascades west slopes and passes should see around a foot of snow by the end of the day Sunday.

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 3000' 2500' 3500' 3500' 2500' 3000' 3500' 4500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 3000' 2500' 3500' 4000' 3000' 3000' 4000' 5000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level 3000' 2500' 3000' 3500' 3000' 3000' 3500' 6000'
Saturday Night Snow Level 3000' 2000' 2000' 3000' 2500' 2500' 3000' 5000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level 3000' 2000' 2000' 2500' 2500' 2500' 3500' 4000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Evening Snow Level
6000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
5000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'

* 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 Saturday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25 0.75
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 LT 0.25 1.00 - 1.50
Washington Pass 0 LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75
Leavenworth 0 0 0.25
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0.75 -1.00
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10 1.00
Mission Ridge 0 0 0.25
Crystal Mt 0 LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75
Paradise 0 0.25 1.50
White Pass 0 LT 0.10 0.75 -1.00
Mt Hood Meadows 0 LT 0.10 1.00 - 1.50
0 LT 0.10 1.00 - 1.50
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Saturday LT 0.10
Saturday Night LT 0.25
Saturday 0.75
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation Forecast
Saturday LT 0.25
Saturday Night LT 0.25
Saturday 1.00 - 1.50
Washington Pass Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 0.50 - 0.75
Leavenworth Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night 0
Saturday 0.25
Stevens Pass Precipitation Forecast
Saturday LT 0.10
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 0.75 -1.00
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation Forecast
Saturday LT 0.10
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 1.00
Mission Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night 0
Saturday 0.25
Crystal Mt Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 0.50 - 0.75
Paradise Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night 0.25
Saturday 1.50
White Pass Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 0.75 -1.00
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 1.00 - 1.50
Timberline Precipitation Forecast
Saturday 0
Saturday Night LT 0.10
Saturday 1.00 - 1.50

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning WSW 5 - 15 WSW 10 - 20 W 15 - 25 W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15 WSW 5 - 15 W 10 - 20 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening S 10 - 20 S 10 - 20 W 5 - 15 WSW 5 - 15 WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 20 - 30 SE 20 - 30 SSW 15 - 25 SSW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35 WSW 25 - 35 W 35 - 45
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Saturday Evening S 10 - 20
Saturday Night S 20 - 30
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 30 - 40
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Evening S 10 - 20
Saturday Night SE 20 - 30
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning W 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Evening W 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon WSW 35 - 45
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon W 30 - 40
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning W 35 - 45
Sunday Afternoon W 40 - 55
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Saturday Evening S 10 - 20
Saturday Night S 20 - 30
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon W 30 - 40
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Evening S 10 - 20
Saturday Night SE 20 - 30
Sunday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Evening W 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon WSW 35 - 45
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Sunday Afternoon W 30 - 40
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Saturday Evening WSW 5 - 15
Saturday Night WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning W 35 - 45
Sunday Afternoon W 40 - 55

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 WSW 25 - 35 W 35 - 45 W 35 - 45 W 30 - 40 W 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30 W 25 - 35 W 35 - 45 W 30 - 40 W 15 - 25
Saturday Evening SW 15 - 25 SW 15 - 25 WSW 30 - 40 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30
Saturday Night SW 35 - 50 SW 30 - 45 SW 40 - 55 WSW 30 - 45 WSW 40 - 50
Sunday Morning WSW 40 - 50 SW 35 - 50 WSW 45 - 65 WSW 45 - 65 WSW 50 - 70
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon WSW 20 - 30
Saturday Evening SW 15 - 25
Saturday Night SW 35 - 50
Sunday Morning WSW 40 - 50
Sunday Afternoon SW 40 - 60
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 35 - 45
Saturday Afternoon W 25 - 35
Saturday Evening SW 15 - 25
Saturday Night SW 30 - 45
Sunday Morning SW 35 - 50
Sunday Afternoon WSW 35 - 50
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 35 - 45
Saturday Afternoon W 35 - 45
Saturday Evening WSW 30 - 40
Saturday Night SW 40 - 55
Sunday Morning WSW 45 - 65
Sunday Afternoon W 50 - 70
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon W 30 - 40
Saturday Evening WSW 20 - 30
Saturday Night WSW 30 - 45
Sunday Morning WSW 45 - 65
Sunday Afternoon W 50 - 70
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Saturday Evening WSW 20 - 30
Saturday Night WSW 40 - 50
Sunday Morning WSW 50 - 70
Sunday Afternoon W 50 - 70

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 21, 2020

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