Issued: 2:56 PM PDT Thursday, March 27, 2014
by Dennis D'Amico

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

Weather Synopsis for Thursday & Thursday

An upper level disturbance passing through southern Washington and northern Oregon will bring a round of moderate to heavy showers to mainly the Mt. Hood region for the first half of today along with moderately strong winds.  Light showers should be seen further north. An approaching frontal system extending from a deep upper low well offshore should approach the PNW overnight...spreading light rain and snow into the Olympics during the early morning hours of Friday.  

Steady precipitation should spread inland to the Cascades and Mt. Hood on Friday.  With more of a southerly component to this system...precipitation totals should be highest for the south slopes and volcanoes.  Easterly flow Friday morning may help keep snow levels low initially low in the passes...but a moderate warming trend is expected to take hold everywhere by Friday afternoon.   Showers should follow Friday night along with a slight cooling trend and be on the light side except locally moderate around Mt. Baker. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Thursday - Thursday Evening

Mostly cloudy with scattered rain and snow showers. 

Thursday Night

Light rain and snow developing. 

Friday

Light to moderate rain and snow, heaviest south slopes.  Warming trend. 

Washington Cascades near and west of the crest
Thursday - Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy with scattered rain and snow showers tapering down overnight. 

Friday

Light to moderate rain and snow developing in the morning, heaviest volcanoes.  Warming in the afternoon. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Thursday - Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy with scattered rain and snow showers tapering down overnight and becoming partly cloudy. 

Friday

Light to moderate rain and snow developing in the morning.  Warming in the afternoon. 

Mt. Hood Area
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening

Mostly cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow showers tapering down in the evening. 

Thursday Night

Light to moderate rain and snow developing. 

Friday

Moderate to occasionally heavy rain and snow, windy.  Warming in the afternoon. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level 4000' ' ' ' ' 4000' ' 4500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level * 4000' ' ' ' ' 3500' ' 4500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level * 5000' ' ' ' ' 5000' ' 5500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
4000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
4000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
4000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Washington Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Leavenworth Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
4000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
4000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Evening Snow Level
4500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
4500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Friday Night Snow Level
4500'

* 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

Thursday Thursday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.25 0 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 1.00 - 1.50
Washington Pass LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 0 - 0.50
Crystal Mt 0.25 - 0.50 0 - 0.75
Paradise 0 - 0.50 1.00 - 1.50
White Pass 0 - 0.50 0.50 - 0.75
Mt Hood Meadows 1.00 - 1.50 0 - 1.50
0 - 1.50 0 - 2.00

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Thursday Afternoon SW 5 - 15 --- - W 5 - 15 --- - SW 15 - 30
Thursday Night S 10 - 20 --- - SW 5 - 15 --- - SW 10 - 20
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SW 15 - 25 --- - SSE 15 - 25 --- - SW 15 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Thursday Night S 10 - 20
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Afternoon SW 15 - 30
Thursday Night SW 10 - 20
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SW 15 - 30
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Thursday Night S 10 - 20
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SSE 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Afternoon SW 15 - 30
Thursday Night SW 10 - 20
Friday Morning - Friday Mid-day SW 15 - 30
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 30

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
Thursday - Afternoon --- - --- - W 15 - 25 --- - W 30 - 40
Thursday Night --- - --- - SW 20 - 30 --- - WSW 25 - 35
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday - Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday - Friday Night --- -
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday - Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday - Friday Night --- -
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday - Afternoon W 15 - 25
Thursday Night SW 20 - 30
Friday - Friday Night SW 30 - 45
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday - Afternoon --- -
Thursday Night --- -
Friday - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday - Afternoon W 30 - 40
Thursday Night WSW 25 - 35
Friday - Friday Night SW 40 - 50

Extended Weather Synopsis for Thursday night through Thursday

The next shortwave rotating around the upper low parked offshore should come through Saturday afternoon and bring a more focused area of showers through the region.  The longwave trough axis associated with the upper low should pass through the region on Sunday as the low ejects to the west.  Snow levels may be slightly lower on Sunday as the coldest air aloft passes through.   

A cut-off low should approach the area on Monday.  Forecast models suggest that precipitation from the frontal band extending from the low may clip the central Washington Cascades to Mt. Hood area or pass entirely to our south into California. 

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Saturday

Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers increasing in the afternoon. 

Saturday Night - Sunday Night

Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers.   Slight cooling trend. 

Monday

Mostly cloudy with possible light rain or snow developing Olympics, south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Saturday - Saturday Night Snow Level ' - ' 3500' - 4500' 3500' - 4500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday - Saturday Night Snow Level
' - '
Sunday - Monday Snow Level
' - '
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday - Saturday Night Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Sunday - Monday Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday - Saturday Night Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Sunday - Monday Snow Level
3000' - 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.

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Previous forecast from Mar 27, 2014

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