Mountain Weather Forecast

Weather Synopsis

A significant front moved through the Cascades early Tuesday afternoon with a transition to post-frontal snow showers as winds shifted more westerly. A strong convergence zone has set up from the Mountain Loop to Washington Pass. This will very slowly shift southward through the evening hours, but may or may not reach Stevens Pass. Scattered cellular convection arriving along coastal Washington should reinforce shower moderate rain and snow shower activity as we head into the evening hours with decreasing light to moderate snow showers overnight as 5000 ft temperatures continue to drop into the low to mid-20s by early Wednesday. The W ridgeline winds should peak during the evening in the moderate to the strong range for exposed locations near the Cascade Crest and east slopes of the Cascades.

Light snow showers linger along the west slopes of the Cascades early in the day with sunny skies further east. Expect shower activity to dissipate with partly sunny skies for much of the region by the afternoon as high pressure builds aloft. Freezing levels should rise to around 2500-3000 ft across the region after a chilly start to the day.

Wednesday night should be dry with increasing high clouds spilling over the top of the offshore ridge with a chance of very light precipitation for the western Olympics overnight. Light E winds develop through the mountain gaps as milder air moves in to the west of the Cascades.

The warm front brushing NW Washington will continue to bring light precipitation to the Olympics and Mt. Baker areas on Thursday as temperatures continue to warm across the region, but more slowly east of the Cascade Crest and with moderate and potentially gusty E winds at peak strength through the mountain gaps.