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 Tuesday
This storm system should wind down Sunday night as the upper airflow becomes more northerly and ushers in cool dry air. A few lingering showers and a Puget Sound Convergence Zone near I90 seem to last through the early evening. Most of the activity appears focused west of the Cascade crest from Stevens Pass south to Mt Hood. If you're under one of these shower bands, you could experience locally moderate to heavy snow. The rest of the region will be generally dry with clearing skies and decreasing wind as a weak high-pressure ridge attempts to build offshore.
Sunday ought to be a gorgeous day around the Pacific Northwest. Cool temperatures, light winds, and mostly sunny skies should prevail across most of the area. A strong March sun will help you feel much warmer than the air temperatures may indicate. Look for clouds to gradually increase as you move into the afternoon hours ahead of our next storm. Showers should find their way into the mountains late Sunday night as a weak shortwave weather system shifts from NW to SE. The brunt of the precipitation arrives Monday with warming temperatures and increasing winds. This first system doesn't seem to be a big water producer for the mountains; however, a second system follows right behind Monday afternoon and early evening continuing our active weather pattern.
Weather Forecast
Hurricane Ridge
| Saturday Night | Partly to mostly clear with calm winds. |
| Sunday | Mostly sunny. Clouds increasing in the afternoon. |
Mt. Baker
| Saturday Night | Partly to mostly clear with calm winds. |
| Sunday | Mostly sunny. Clouds increasing in the afternoon. |
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
| Saturday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds becoming northerly. |
| Sunday | Mostly sunny. Light northerly winds increasing in the afternoon. |
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
| Saturday Night | Cloudy. Snow showers with a possible Convergence Zone near I90 in the early evening. Light winds becoming northwesterly. |
| Sunday | Partly sunny with increasing clouds in the afternoon. Light northwesterly winds increasing slightly in the afternoon. |
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
| Saturday Night | Partly to mostly cloudy. Isolated snow showers in the evening. |
| Sunday | Mostly sunny with clouds increasing in the afternoon. |
Mt. Hood
| Saturday Night | Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers. Moderate to strong winds decreasing and becoming northwesterly. |
| Sunday | Mostly sunny. Light northwesterly winds. |
Issued: 1:34 PM PST Saturday, February 29, 2020
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 | 500' | 1000' | 500' | 1000' | 1000' | 1000' | 1000' | 1500' |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | 500' | 0' | 0' | 0' | 500' | 500' | 500' | 1000' |
| Sunday Morning | Freezing Level | 1500' | 1000' | 500' | 1000' | 1000' | 1000' | 1000' | 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon | Freezing Level | 3000' | 3000' | 3000' | 4000' | 3000' | 3000' | 3500' | 3500' |
| Sunday Evening | Snow Level | 2000' | 1500' | 1000' | 1000' | 1500' | 1500' | 1500' | 2000' |
| Sunday Night | Snow Level | 3000' | 1500' | 1000' | 1000' | 1500' | 1500' | 1500' | 2000' |
| Monday Morning | Snow Level | 4500' | 2500' | 2000' | 2500' | 2500' | 2500' | 3500' | 3500' |
| Monday Afternoon | Snow Level | 5500' | 4000' | 4500' | 5000' | 4500' | 4500' | 5000' | 5000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3000' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 1000' |
| Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' |
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
* 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 | Tuesday | Tuesday Night | Tuesday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0 | 0 | LT 0.25 | 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Leavenworth | 0 | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | LT 0.25 | 0.25 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.25 | 0 | LT 0.25 | 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Paradise | LT 0.25 | 0 | LT 0.10 | 0.25 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
| Leavenworth | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0.25 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.25 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0.25 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tuesday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
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: 1:34 PM PST Saturday, February 29, 2020
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | NW 10 - 20 | WNW 5 - 15 | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | VAR 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | NNW 5 - 15 | NNW 5 - 15 | NW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | W 0 - 10 | W 0 - 10 | NW 5 - 15 | NNW 5 - 15 | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | WNW 5 - 15 | NW 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Morning | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Morning | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | NW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Morning | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Morning | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Night | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | NNW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | NW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 5 - 15 |
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 | NNW 10 - 20 | NW 15 - 25 | NW 20 - 30 | NW 20 - 30 | NW 25 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | N 5 - 15 | N 15 - 25 | N 15 - 25 | N 15 - 25 | N 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 10 - 20 | NW 15 - 25 | NNW 15 - 25 | N 10 - 20 | N 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 15 - 25 | NW 20 - 30 | WNW 25 - 35 | NW 20 - 30 | N 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NNW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | N 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 15 - 25 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NW 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Night | N 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | NW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | N 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | NNW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 25 - 35 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | N 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Morning | N 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 20 - 30 |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Evening | NW 25 - 35 |
| Saturday Night | N 20 - 30 |
| Sunday Morning | N 10 - 20 |
| 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.
Issued: 1:34 PM PST Saturday, February 29, 2020
Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Tuesday
A series of shortwave weather systems should keep our weather wet and wild as we move into the first week of March. Each round of precipitation slides up and over a high-pressure ridge in the eastern Pacific and approaches the region from the NW. There doesn't appear to be much in the way of breaks in the action, as each successive system follows quickly on the heels of the one before. The strongest and wettest storm seems to arrive late Tuesday afternoon/evening. Temperatures during the extended forecast aren't particularly cold. Snow levels are expected to hover around 4000-6000' until colder air enters the region early Wednesday.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Night | Snow Level | 3500' - 5000' | 4000' - 5500' | 4500' - 5500' | |
| Tuesday | Snow Level | 4000' - 5000' | 4500' - 5500' | 5000' - 6000' | |
| Tuesday Night | Snow Level | 3500' - 4500' | 4000' - 5000' | 4500' - 5500' | |
| Wednesday | Snow Level | 2500' - 3500' | 3000' - 4500' | 4000' - 5000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 3500' - 5000' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5500' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level 5000' - 6000' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
* 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 29, 2020
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.