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 & Tuesday
Yesterday's upper level trough has moved east of the Cascades and the PNW is in a relative lull before the next late April Pacific frontal system arrives tonight. There are some residual showers and moisture leftover for today, but the steady precipitation shield from the incoming frontal system is already apparent on the coastal Washington radar. High clouds should increase first over the Olympics early this afternoon and then spread inland later in the afternoon. Snow levels will remain cool.
A 150 kt jet aimed at Southern Oregon and Northern California will drive an occluded front through the PNW tonight...with rain and snow first reaching the Olympics and Mt. Hood later this afternoon and slowly rotating up and through the Cascades later tonight. Precipitation will be heaviest from Mt. Rainier down to Mt. Hood. Steady rain and snow will transition to generally light showers Sunday morning outside of Mt. Hood. Scattered showers may increase in intensity along the west slopes in the afternoon as another upper level impulse passes through. Also, a Puget Sound Convergence Zone may bring a period of locally heavy precipitation between Stevens and Snoqualmie Passes late Sunday afternoon and evening. Snow levels will hover around 3000 feet from early Sunday morning through late Monday morning. The air mass over the PNW will be quite cold and unstable for late April...and isolated thunderstorms will be possible over the mountains Sunday afternoon. Showers should taper off later Sunday night.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Saturday Afternoon |
Becoming cloudy with light rain and snow developing. |
| Saturday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow. |
| Sunday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening |
Mostly cloudy with light to moderate rain and snow showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms. |
| Sunday Night |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Saturday Afternoon |
Partly to mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds in the afternoon. Chance of light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow south Washington Cascades spreading north overnight. |
| Sunday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening |
Light to moderate rain and snow showers...occasionally heavy near potential Convergence Zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. Slight chance of thunderstorms. |
| Sunday Night |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Saturday |
Partly cloudy becoming cloudy in the afternoon. Light rain and snow developing in the afternoon. |
| Saturday Night |
Moderate rain and snow, windy. |
| Sunday |
Moderate rain and snow showers and a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Windy. |
| Sunday Night |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Saturday |
Partly cloudy with increasing high clouds in the afternoon. Slight chance of light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Night |
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow south Washington Cascades spreading north overnight. |
| Sunday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening |
Light rain and snow showers...occasionally moderate near potential Convergence Zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. Slight chance of thunderstorms. |
| Sunday Night |
Becoming partly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
Issued: 2:14 PM PDT Saturday, April 26, 2014
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | Snow Level | 3500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 4000' | ' | 4000' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day | Snow Level | 3000' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 3000' | ' | 3000' |
| Sunday Afternoon | Snow Level | 3500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 3500' |
| Sunday Night | Snow Level | 3000' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 2500' | ' | 2500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Mid-day |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
* 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
| Tuesday | Tuesday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0 - 0.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.25 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.25 | 0 - 0.75 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Crystal Mt | 0 - 0.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Paradise | 0.75 - 1.00 | 0 - 1.00 |
| White Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.75 - 1.00 | 0 - 0.75 |
| Timberline | 0 - 1.00 | 0.75 - 1.00 |
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: 2:14 PM PDT Saturday, April 26, 2014
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SSW 5 - 15 | --- - | SW 5 - 15 | --- - | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Evening | S 15 - 25 | --- - | SSE 10 - 20 | --- - | SW 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | SW 10 - 20 | --- - | WSW 10 - 20 | --- - | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | W 10 - 20 | --- - | WSW 15 - 25 | --- - | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 | --- - | W 5 - 15 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Evening | S 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Evening | --- - |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Evening | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Evening | --- - |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Evening | SW 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SSW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Evening | S 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Evening | --- - |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Evening | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Evening | --- - |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | --- - |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Evening | SW 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Night - Sunday Morning | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Sunday Afternoon - Sunday Evening | W 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night | W 10 - 20 |
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 Afternoon | --- - | --- - | SW 10 - 20 | --- - | SW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | --- - | --- - | SW 25 - 40 | --- - | SW 35 - 50 |
| Sunday | --- - | --- - | W 20 - 35 | --- - | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Night | --- - | --- - | NW 20 - 30 | --- - | NW 25 - 35 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Night | SW 25 - 40 |
| Sunday | W 20 - 35 |
| Sunday Night | NW 20 - 30 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Night | SW 35 - 50 |
| Sunday | W 30 - 40 |
| Sunday Night | NW 25 - 35 |
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: 2:14 PM PDT Saturday, April 26, 2014
Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Tuesday
An upper level ridge should begin to build along the West Coast Monday. However...there should be some residual showers leftover in the morning and only partial clearing by the afternoon. Models continue to be waver on whether a weak warm front will stall along the WA/OR coast and Olympic peninsula on Tuesday. The real warm up and drying trend looks to take hold Tuesday night through the end of the week...with freezing levels pushing above 10000 feet by the middle of the week and the upper level ridge firmly in control.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes and Mt. Hood Area
Mostly cloudy with isolated rain and snow showers mainly west slopes and Mt. Hood. Becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon and evening.
Partly to mostly clear. Warm.
Mostly cloudy Olympics, partly cloudy elsewhere. Warmer.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Morning - Mid-day | Snow Level | ' - ' | 2500' - 3500' | 2500' - 3500' | |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night | Snow Level | ' - ' | 4000' - 5000' | 4500' - 5500' | |
| Tuesday | Freezing Level | ' - ' | 8000' - 9000' | 9000' - 10500' | |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday | Freezing Level | ' - ' | 12000' - 13000' | 12500' - 13500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Morning - Mid-day |
Snow Level ' - ' |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Snow Level ' - ' |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level ' - ' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday |
Freezing Level ' - ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Morning - Mid-day |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 8000' - 9000' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday |
Freezing Level 12000' - 13000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Monday Morning - Mid-day |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 9000' - 10500' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday |
Freezing Level 12500' - 13500' |
* 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 Apr 26, 2014
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.
This will be the last NWAC mountain weather forecast issued this season.