An impressive storm system brought most areas around the Cascades and Olympics a quick 8-15in of snow last night. While precipitation continues across the region this morning, hourly snowfall rates have already started to decline. This trend should last throughout the day. SE-S winds will continue to rotate around the low pressure center and push moisture up into the mountains. This will enhance snowfall for many locations east of the Cascade crest. Look for some of the heaviest snow showers to remain focused on the Wenatchee Mts and Ahtanum Meadows. Similarly, this flow pattern favors the Cascade volcanoes. Moderate to occasionally heavy snow should remain targeted on Mt Baker, Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, and Mt Hood.
This evening, the stalled Low slowly drifts southward allowing winds to significantly decrease and precipitation to taper. A few showers will linger throughout the region, but generally, this will be the start of a drying trend. Sunday will begin cloudy for most locations, however, as the day progresses, we could start to see a few breaks in the clouds. This will be more common in the North Cascades and on higher peaks away from the low-level clouds of our mountain valleys and passes. While we don't expect skies to completely clear, there should be at least a little blue to go around.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
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Saturday
Snow showers could be moderate to locally heavy. Moderate SW winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers.
Saturday
Stormy, particularly near Mt Baker. Moderate S winds with moderate to occasionally heavy snow.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with isolated snow showers. Light to moderate S winds becoming calm.
Saturday
Snow showers could be heavy at times. Moderate SE winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers.
Saturday
Stormy, particularly near the volcanoes. Moderate to strong SE winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers.
Saturday
Cloudy with scattered snow showers. Moderate SE winds decreasing in the afternoon. Light to moderate E flow at pass level.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with isolated snow showers. Light E flow diminishing.
Saturday
Cloudy with snow showers, could be heavy at times. Moderate SE winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon. Light to moderate E flow at Pass level.
Saturday
Night
Cloudy with isolated snow showers. Light E flow at Pass level diminishing.
Saturday
Cloudy with snow showers. Light to moderate SE winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with a few isolated snow showers possible.
Saturday
Stormy, with moderate S winds. Snow could be locally heavy at times. Winds decreasing in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers.
Saturday
Snow showers could be locally heavy at times. Moderate S winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Mostly cloudy with isolated snow showers.
Saturday
Strong SW winds and periods of moderate snow. Winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon.
Saturday
Night
Scattered showers with winds decreasing significantly in the evening.
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).