The second in our parade of frontal systems moves through our region this morning. The frontal boundary should push through the Cascades between 7 and 9 AM, changing steadier precipitation to showers. Moderate SSW winds gradually shift toward the WSW as the day progresses and the upper trough approaches. Expect 8-14" of snow for Mt Baker with 4-10" for Hurricane Ridge, the Mountain Loop, Paradise, Crystal, and Mt St Helens.
Snow showers continue as WSW winds shift back to the SW overnight with the trough over the region. The heaviest snow showers remain focused more on the volcanoes with light to moderate snow showers in other areas and some spillover to the east slopes of the Cascades. Snow levels drop from 3000 to around 2500 ft.
On Monday, a deep trough and associated cold front approach from the WNW. Decreased shower activity becomes more sustained moderate snowfall for the Olympics and the southern volcanoes as the front approaches. Snow levels should be in the 2500 ft range.
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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Sunday
Moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Heavy rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate ridgeline winds, strong gusts.
Sunday
Night
Moderate to heavy rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Moderate rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Light rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Light ridgeline andE wind switching W at the Pass by late morning.
Sunday
Night
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Light to moderate ridgeline and light W wind at the Pass.
Sunday
Light rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Increasing moderate ridgeline and light to moderate E wind switching W at the Pass by late morning.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline and light W wind at the Pass.
Sunday
Light rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Light rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Light rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming showery by late morning. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.
Sunday
Night
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
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).