Issued: 6:49 AM PST Thursday, January 21, 2021
by Dallas Glass

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I

Weather Synopsis

Scattered showers across the southern half of the forecast area this morning should continue as a low-pressure system slides southward off of our coast on its way to California. The latest weather models show slightly less precipitation than they did yesterday. Trailheads south of Highway 2 may see a dusting of snow, with locations around the volcanoes receiving a few inches. Most of the region will experience cloudy, cold, and generally calm weather Thursday. 

A few lingering showers may hang around in the evening hours near Mt Rainier, Mt St. Helens, and Mt Hood as conditions dry out from north to south. Look for mostly cloudy skies overnight with some clearing as drier weather slips back into the Northwest. By Friday, mountain locations should see mostly sunny skies and cool temperatures as high pressure builds back over the eastern Pacific making for a very pleasent day. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
Use dropdown to select your zone
Thursday Cloudy with isolated snow showers in the morning.
Thursday Night Cloudy and calm.
Thursday Mostly cloudy with sun breaks possible in the afternoon.
Thursday Night Partly cloudy with clearing.
Thursday Cloudy with isolated showers in the morning.
Thursday Night Mostly cloudy and calm.
Thursday Cloudy with scattered light showers. Heaviest near the volcanoes.
Thursday Night Cloudy with isolated showers in the evening. Drying overnight.
Thursday Cloudy with isolated showers in the morning.
Thursday Night Mostly cloudy. Light easterly flow.
Thursday Cloudy with isolated showers in the morning.
Thursday Night Cloudy. Light to moderate east flow.
Thursday Mostly cloudy.
Thursday Night Mostly cloudy with some clearing overnight.
Thursday Mostly cloudy with isolated showers.
Thursday Night Mostly cloudy with some clearing overnight.
Thursday Cloudy with isolated showers.
Thursday Night Cloudy with isolated showers in the evening. Some clearing possible.
Thursday Cloudy with scattered showers.
Thursday Night Cloudy with isolated showers in the evening. Drying overnight.

Precipitation (in)

Thursday Thursday Night Friday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 0 0
Mt Baker Ski Area 0 0 0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass LT 0.10 0 0
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 0 0
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 0 0
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 0 0
Paradise LT 0.25 LT 0.10 0
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0
Washington Pass 0 0 0
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 0 0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head LT 0.10 0 0
Tieton River - Darland Mt. LT 0.10 0 0
Mt Hood Meadows 0.25 LT 0.10 0
Timberline 0.25 LT 0.10 0
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.25
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday 0
White Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday 0
Washington Pass Precipitation (in)
Thursday 0
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Mission Ridge Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Tieton River - Darland Mt. Precipitation (in)
Thursday LT 0.10
Thursday Night 0
Friday 0
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation (in)
Thursday 0.25
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday 0
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Thursday 0.25
Thursday Night LT 0.10
Friday 0

Snow Level (ft)

Thursday Morning* Thursday Afternoon* Thursday Evening* Thursday Night* Friday Morning* Friday Afternoon
Olympics 2500' 3000' 2500' 2000' 2000' 3000'
West North 2000' 2500' 2000' 1000' 1500' 2500'
West Central 2500' 3000' 2500' 2000' 1500' 3000'
West South 3000' 3500' 3000' 2000' 2000' 3500'
Stevens Pass 2000' 2500' 2000' 1500' 1500' 2500'
Snoqualmie Pass 2000' 2500' 2500' 2000' 2000' 3000'
East North 1500' 2000' 1500' 1000' 1000' 1500'
East Central 2000' 2000' 1500' 1000' 1000' 2000'
East South 3000' 3500' 2500' 2000' 2000' 3000'
Mt. Hood 4000' 4000' 3500' 2500' 2500' 3000'
Olympics Elevation
Thursday Morning* 2500'
Thursday Afternoon* 3000'
Thursday Evening* 2500'
Thursday Night* 2000'
Friday Morning* 2000'
Friday Afternoon 3000'
West North Elevation
Thursday Morning* 2000'
Thursday Afternoon* 2500'
Thursday Evening* 2000'
Thursday Night* 1000'
Friday Morning* 1500'
Friday Afternoon 2500'
West Central Elevation
Thursday Morning* 2500'
Thursday Afternoon* 3000'
Thursday Evening* 2500'
Thursday Night* 2000'
Friday Morning* 1500'
Friday Afternoon 3000'
West South Elevation
Thursday Morning* 3000'
Thursday Afternoon* 3500'
Thursday Evening* 3000'
Thursday Night* 2000'
Friday Morning* 2000'
Friday Afternoon 3500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning* 2000'
Thursday Afternoon* 2500'
Thursday Evening* 2000'
Thursday Night* 1500'
Friday Morning* 1500'
Friday Afternoon 2500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning* 2000'
Thursday Afternoon* 2500'
Thursday Evening* 2500'
Thursday Night* 2000'
Friday Morning* 2000'
Friday Afternoon 3000'
East North Elevation
Thursday Morning* 1500'
Thursday Afternoon* 2000'
Thursday Evening* 1500'
Thursday Night* 1000'
Friday Morning* 1000'
Friday Afternoon 1500'
East Central Elevation
Thursday Morning* 2000'
Thursday Afternoon* 2000'
Thursday Evening* 1500'
Thursday Night* 1000'
Friday Morning* 1000'
Friday Afternoon 2000'
East South Elevation
Thursday Morning* 3000'
Thursday Afternoon* 3500'
Thursday Evening* 2500'
Thursday Night* 2000'
Friday Morning* 2000'
Friday Afternoon 3000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Morning* 4000'
Thursday Afternoon* 4000'
Thursday Evening* 3500'
Thursday Night* 2500'
Friday Morning* 2500'
Friday Afternoon 3000'

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Thursday Thursday Night
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 25 / 21 23 / 20
West North 28 / 21 21 / 18
West Central 27 / 21 22 / 17
West South 29 / 24 27 / 21
Stevens Pass 26 / 20 20 / 15
Snoqualmie Pass 26 / 23 24 / 16
East North 25 / 19 21 / 15
East Central 25 / 19 21 / 15
East South 27 / 24 24 / 19
Mt. Hood 33 / 29 27 / 20
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 25 / 21
Thursday Night 23 / 20
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 28 / 21
Thursday Night 21 / 18
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 27 / 21
Thursday Night 22 / 17
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 29 / 24
Thursday Night 27 / 21
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 26 / 20
Thursday Night 20 / 15
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 26 / 23
Thursday Night 24 / 16
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 25 / 19
Thursday Night 21 / 15
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 25 / 19
Thursday Night 21 / 15
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 27 / 24
Thursday Night 24 / 19
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Thursday 33 / 29
Thursday Night 27 / 20

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

Thursday Morning Thursday Afternoon Thursday Evening Thursday Night
Olympics SSE 0-10 E 0-10 E 0-10 E 0-10
West North E 0-10 E 5-15 E 10-20 E 0-10
West Central SE 0-10 E 5-15 E 0-10 E 5-15
West South W 5-15 SSE 5-15 SE 10-20 E 5-15
Stevens Pass E 0-10 E 0-10 ESE 5-15 ESE 5-15
Snoqualmie Pass E 5-15 E 10-20 ESE 15-25 ESE 10-20
East North E 0-10 E 5-15 E 5-15 ESE 0-10
East Central W 5-15 N 5-15 E 10-20 ESE 5-15
East South W 5-15 W 5-15 E 5-15 ESE
Mt. Hood W 10-20 WSW 5-15 ESE 5-15 SSW 5-15
Olympics Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning SSE 0-10
Thursday Afternoon E 0-10
Thursday Evening E 0-10
Thursday Night E 0-10
West North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning E 0-10
Thursday Afternoon E 5-15
Thursday Evening E 10-20
Thursday Night E 0-10
West Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning SE 0-10
Thursday Afternoon E 5-15
Thursday Evening E 0-10
Thursday Night E 5-15
West South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning W 5-15
Thursday Afternoon SSE 5-15
Thursday Evening SE 10-20
Thursday Night E 5-15
Stevens Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning E 0-10
Thursday Afternoon E 0-10
Thursday Evening ESE 5-15
Thursday Night ESE 5-15
Snoqualmie Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning E 5-15
Thursday Afternoon E 10-20
Thursday Evening ESE 15-25
Thursday Night ESE 10-20
East North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning E 0-10
Thursday Afternoon E 5-15
Thursday Evening E 5-15
Thursday Night ESE 0-10
East Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning W 5-15
Thursday Afternoon N 5-15
Thursday Evening E 10-20
Thursday Night ESE 5-15
East South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning W 5-15
Thursday Afternoon W 5-15
Thursday Evening E 5-15
Thursday Night ESE
Mt. Hood Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Thursday Morning W 10-20
Thursday Afternoon WSW 5-15
Thursday Evening ESE 5-15
Thursday Night SSW 5-15

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I

Previous forecast from Jan 20, 2021

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.

The 5000’ temperature forecast does not imply a trend over the 12 hr period and only represents the max and min temperatures within a 12 hr period in the zone. The 6-hr snow level forecast, the forecast discussion, and weather forecast sections may add detail regarding temperature trends.

The snow level forecast represents the general snow level over a 6 hr time period. Freezing levels are forecast when precipitation is not expected.

*Easterly or offshore flow is highlighted with an asterisk when we expect relatively cool east winds in the major Cascade Passes. Easterly flow will often lead to temperature inversions and is a key variable for forecasting precipitation type in the Cascade Passes. Strong easterly flow events can affect terrain on a more regional scale.

Ridgeline winds are the average wind speed and direction over a 6 hr time period.

The wind forecast represents an elevation range instead of a single elevation slice. The elevation range overlaps with the near and above treeline elevation bands in the avalanche forecast and differs per zone.

Wind direction indicates the direction the wind originates or comes from on the 16-point compass rose.

Water Equivalent (WE) is the liquid water equivalent of all precipitation types; rain, snow, ice pellets, etc., forecast to the hundredth of an inch at specific locations. To use WE as a proxy for snowfall amounts, start with a snow to water ratio of 10:1 (10 inches of snow = 1 inch WE). Temperatures at or near freezing will generally have a lower ratio (heavy wet snow) and very cold temperatures can have a much higher ratio (dry fluffy snow).

The label LT, is shorthand for ‘less than’.