NW flow continues across the region. A surface low tracking from British Columbia toward Montana brought up to 1 ft or more of snow to parts of the Cascades. Stevens Pass reports the highest snow total with 14" since 2 PM on Thursday. Moderate to heavy snowfall should decrease rapidly this morning. Some convergence likely just south of Snoqualmie creates the possibility of extending some of the snowfall a bit longer. Paradise stands to pick up the most snowfall this morning before the storm wraps up. Snow flurries may linger into the afternoon, but expect partial sunshine to make an appearance in many areas. Strong to extreme winds through mountain gaps continue in some locations such as White Pass and Mission ridge, but these should be decreasing throughout the day.
Friday night offers a relative break in the action with cooling temperatures. After midnight, winds will increase and light snowfall should start, primarily over the northern Cascades, but should extend to the central Cascades Passes and Mt. Rainier area by morning.
Saturday brings another storm with NW flow aloft and W winds ramping up at lower levels bringing a repeat of the Thursday-Friday system. The main difference is that this storm will be slightly colder, which may mean much more significant snow totals at 3000 ft. Expect heavy snowfall from Mt. Baker to Snoqualmie Pass and Paradise with strong downslope winds ramping up throughout the day along the east slopes of the Casacades.
Weather Forecast
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Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
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East Central
East South
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Friday
Cloudy with a chance of snow showers early, then becoming mostly sunny.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy in the evening with clouds increasing and thickening overnight.
Friday
Light snow tapering early. Becoming partly cloudy by the afternoon.
Friday
Night
Clouds increasing in the evening, then light snow developing overnight.
Friday
Light to moderate snow tapering to light snow flurries from late morning onwards.
Friday
Night
Clouds increasing in the evening, then light snow developing overnight.
Friday
Heavy snow at Paradise, moderate snow at White Pass, and light snow at Crystal all tapering to snow flurries by afternoon. Very strong winds through mountain gaps such as White Pass decreasing throughout the day.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy in the evening, then clouds increasing and light snow developing in the early morning hours.
Friday
Light to moderate snow tapering to light snow flurries from late morning onwards. Decreasing light to moderate W winds at the Pass. Decreasing moderate to strong ridgeline winds in the morning.
Friday
Night
Clouds increasing in the evening, then light snow developing in the early morning hours. Light W winds at the Pass.
Friday
Light to moderate snow tapering to light snow flurries by late morning. Chance of convergence extending moderate snowfall into early afternoon hours. Decreasing light to moderate W winds at the Pass. Decreasing moderate to strong ridgeline winds in the morning.
Friday
Night
Clouds increasing in the evening, then light snow developing in the early morning hours. Light W winds at the Pass.
Friday
Mostly cloudy with snow flurries early, then becoming mostly sunny east of the Cascade Crest.
Friday
Night
Clouds increasing in the evening, then light snow developing in the early morning hours.
Friday
Decreasing light to moderate snow tapering to snow flurries close to the Cascade Crest. Strong to very strong winds most significantly affecting the Wenatchee Mountains, decreasing throughout the day.
Friday
Night
Mostly cloudy, then light snow developing in the early morning hours.
Friday
Light to occasionally moderate snow tapering to isolated flurries by late morning. Becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Decreasing moderate to strong ridgeline winds becoming light.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy, then light snow developing in the early morning hours.
Friday
Moderate snow decreasing and turning to snow flurries with sun breaks likely in the afternoon. Decreasing strong to very strong ridgeline winds.
Friday
Night
Partly cloudy, then light snow developing in the early morning hours.
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).