Issued: 2:28 PM PDT Monday, March 25, 2024
by Dennis D'Amico

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I Extended Weather

Weather Synopsis

A weak front is pushing through the area this afternoon and re-invigorating shower activity across the region. As the front shifts to the east tonight, onshore flow will increase and we'll see a Puget Sound Convergence zone take aim at the central Cascades from near I-90 to Hwy2 along with moderate westerly ridgeline winds. Another area of heavier showers will occur near Mt Hood and the base of the upper level trough. The area of convergence will shift north on Tuesday morning, shifting the shower focus to the Mt Loop Hwy and the Mt Baker area.  Showers will become more scattered in the afternoon, with cloudier skies and sunbreaks along the west slopes of the Cascades/Olympics and Mt Hood and sunnier conditions along the east slopes of the Cascades. Snowfall totals through mid-day Tuesday should average 2-6" with 4-10" more likely for Mt Hood and along the west slopes of the Cascades affected by the convergence zone.  

The wet weather will keep chugging through the short term. A stronger Pacific frontal system will move in late Tuesday night.  Warm frontal precipitation will spread inland early Wednesday morning and a cold front will pass through Wednesday afternoon. The front will deliver a modest shot of snow above 3000-4000', with higher totals likely for the volcanoes favored in southerly flow. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
West North
West Central
West South
Stevens Pass
Snoqualmie Pass
East North
East Central
East South
Mt. Hood
Use dropdown to select your zone
Monday Night Cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers.
Tuesday Cloudy with light rain and snow showers in the morning, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon.
Monday Night Cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers.
Tuesday Light to moderate rain and snow showers in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy with light scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon.
Monday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Heaviest showers near areas of convergence overnight. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Tuesday Light to moderate rain and snow showers in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy with light scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Monday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Tuesday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy with light scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Monday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Heaviest showers near areas of convergence overnight. Light to moderate Pass level and ridgeline W winds.
Tuesday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy with light scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon. Moderate Pass level and ridgeline W winds.
Monday Night Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Heaviest showers near areas of convergence overnight. Moderate Pass level and ridgeline W winds.
Tuesday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy with light scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon. Moderate Pass level and ridgeline W winds.
Monday Night Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers in the morning, then partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Monday Night Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. Heavier showers downwind of the convergence zone late tonight. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers in the morning, heaviest downwind of the convergence zone in the morning. Becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Monday Night Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Tuesday Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers in the morning, then partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds.
Monday Night Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Strong ridgeline winds.
Tuesday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers in the morning, becoming mostly cloudy with light scattered showers and sunbreaks in the afternoon. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds.

Issued: 2:28 PM PDT Monday, March 25, 2024

Precipitation (in)

Monday Night Tuesday Tuesday Night Wednesday
5 pm - 5 am 5 am - 5 pm 5 pm - 5 am 5 am - 5 pm
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.25 LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 0.25 0 0.75 -1.00
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass 0.25 0.25 LT 0.10 0.50 - 0.75
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.25 0 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass 0.25 - 0.50 0.25 LT 0.10 0.50
Crystal Mt LT 0.25 LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0.75
Paradise 0.25 LT 0.25 LT 0.10 0.75
White Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0 LT 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 0 0 0.25
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head LT 0.25 LT 0.10 0 0.25
Tieton River - Darland Mt. LT 0.10 LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows 0.50 LT 0.25 LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75
Timberline 0.75 0.25 LT 0.25 0.75
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday 0.25
Tuesday Night 0
Wednesday 0.75 -1.00
Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday Night 0.25
Tuesday 0.25
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.50 - 0.75
Stevens Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.25
Tuesday Night 0
Wednesday 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Tuesday 0.25
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.50
Crystal Mt Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.75
Paradise Precipitation (in)
Monday Night 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.25
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.75
White Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.25 - 0.50
Washington Pass Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tuesday Night 0
Wednesday LT 0.25
Mission Ridge Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday 0
Tuesday Night 0
Wednesday 0.25
Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.25
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tuesday Night 0
Wednesday 0.25
Tieton River - Darland Mt. Precipitation (in)
Monday Night LT 0.10
Tuesday LT 0.10
Tuesday Night LT 0.10
Wednesday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation (in)
Monday Night 0.50
Tuesday LT 0.25
Tuesday Night LT 0.25
Wednesday 0.50 - 0.75
Timberline Precipitation (in)
Monday Night 0.75
Tuesday 0.25
Tuesday Night LT 0.25
Wednesday 0.75

Issued: 2:28 PM PDT Monday, March 25, 2024

Snow Level (ft)

Monday Evening Monday Night Tuesday Morning Tuesday Afternoon Tuesday Evening Tuesday Night Wednesday Morning* Wednesday Afternoon
Olympics 3500' 3000' 3000' 4000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
West North 3500' 3000' 3000' 4000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
West Central 3500' 3000' 3000' 4000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
West South 3500' 3000' 3000' 4500' 3500' 3000' 3500' 4500'
Stevens Pass 3500' 3000' 3000' 4000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass 3500' 3000' 3000' 4000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 4000'
East North 3500' 3000' 3500' 5500' 3500' 3000' 3500' 5000'
East Central 3500' 3000' 3500' 5000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 5000'
East South 3500' 3000' 3500' 5000' 3500' 3000' 3500' 5000'
Mt. Hood 3500' 3000' 3000' 4500' 4000' 3500' 4000' 4500'
Olympics Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 4000'
West North Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 4000'
West Central Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 4000'
West South Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4500'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 4500'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 4000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 4000'
East North Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3500'
Tuesday Afternoon 5500'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 5000'
East Central Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3500'
Tuesday Afternoon 5000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 5000'
East South Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3500'
Tuesday Afternoon 5000'
Tuesday Evening 3500'
Tuesday Night 3000'
Wednesday Morning* 3500'
Wednesday Afternoon 5000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Evening 3500'
Monday Night 3000'
Tuesday Morning 3000'
Tuesday Afternoon 4500'
Tuesday Evening 4000'
Tuesday Night 3500'
Wednesday Morning* 4000'
Wednesday Afternoon 4500'

Issued: 2:28 PM PDT Monday, March 25, 2024

5000' Temperatures (°F)

Monday Night Tuesday
Max / Min Max / Min
Olympics 29 / 27 30 / 26
West North 29 / 26 30 / 27
West Central 29 / 27 29 / 27
West South 30 / 27 32 / 26
Stevens Pass 30 / 27 31 / 27
Snoqualmie Pass 30 / 27 30 / 27
East North 31 / 25 33 / 26
East Central 32 / 27 32 / 27
East South 31 / 27 33 / 26
Mt. Hood 32 / 28 32 / 26
Olympics 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 29 / 27
Tuesday 30 / 26
West North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 29 / 26
Tuesday 30 / 27
West Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 29 / 27
Tuesday 29 / 27
West South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 30 / 27
Tuesday 32 / 26
Stevens Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 30 / 27
Tuesday 31 / 27
Snoqualmie Pass 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 30 / 27
Tuesday 30 / 27
East North 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 31 / 25
Tuesday 33 / 26
East Central 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 32 / 27
Tuesday 32 / 27
East South 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 31 / 27
Tuesday 33 / 26
Mt. Hood 5000' Temperature Forecast
(Max / Min)
Monday Night 32 / 28
Tuesday 32 / 26

Issued: 2:28 PM PDT Monday, March 25, 2024

Ridgeline Winds (mph)

Monday Evening Monday Night Tuesday Morning Tuesday Afternoon
Olympics W 5-15 W 5-15 W 5-15 SW 5-15
West North WSW 0-10 WSW 5-15 WSW 5-15 SW 5-15
West Central SW 5-15 W 5-15 W 10-20 W 10-20
West South W 5-15 W 10-20 W 10-20 W 10-20
Stevens Pass W 5-15 W 10-20 W 10-20 W 10-20
Snoqualmie Pass W 5-15 W 10-20 W 10-20 W 10-20
East North W 5-15 W 10-20 W 10-20 W 10-20
East Central W 10-20 W 15-25 WNW 15-25 W 15-25
East South W 10-20 W 10-20 WNW 15-25 W 15-25
Mt. Hood W 20-30 W 20-30 WNW 20-30 W 15-25
Olympics Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 5-15
Monday Night W 5-15
Tuesday Morning W 5-15
Tuesday Afternoon SW 5-15
West North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening WSW 0-10
Monday Night WSW 5-15
Tuesday Morning WSW 5-15
Tuesday Afternoon SW 5-15
West Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening SW 5-15
Monday Night W 5-15
Tuesday Morning W 10-20
Tuesday Afternoon W 10-20
West South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 5-15
Monday Night W 10-20
Tuesday Morning W 10-20
Tuesday Afternoon W 10-20
Stevens Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 5-15
Monday Night W 10-20
Tuesday Morning W 10-20
Tuesday Afternoon W 10-20
Snoqualmie Pass Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 5-15
Monday Night W 10-20
Tuesday Morning W 10-20
Tuesday Afternoon W 10-20
East North Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 5-15
Monday Night W 10-20
Tuesday Morning W 10-20
Tuesday Afternoon W 10-20
East Central Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 10-20
Monday Night W 15-25
Tuesday Morning WNW 15-25
Tuesday Afternoon W 15-25
East South Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 10-20
Monday Night W 10-20
Tuesday Morning WNW 15-25
Tuesday Afternoon W 15-25
Mt. Hood Ridgeline Winds (mph)
Monday Evening W 20-30
Monday Night W 20-30
Tuesday Morning WNW 20-30
Tuesday Afternoon W 15-25

Issued: 2:28 PM PDT Monday, March 25, 2024

Extended Weather Synopsis

Showers will become more scattered Wednesday night and Thursday, except they'll be a bit heavier and more persistent for the Olympics since they sit closer to the trailing upper low.  We'll see a similar diurnal trend as earlier in the week with snow levels starting out near 3000' and rising to 4000-5000' in the Thursday afternoon.

On Friday, we'll see the upper low pull away and dive south along the Oregon/California coast.  However, an upper level trough extending SW from Alberta will keep an unstable air mass over Washington state and lead to scattered afternoon mountain showers. Drier and milder conditions are likely over the weekend as a ridge of high pressure attempts to build over the area. 

Extended Snow Level (ft)

Wednesday Night Thursday Thursday Night Friday
West North 3000' 4500' 3000' 5000'
Snoqualmie Pass 3000' 4500' 3500' 5000'
Mt. Hood 3500' 4500' 3500' 6000'
West North Elevation
Wednesday Night 3000'
Thursday 4500'
Thursday Night 3000'
Friday 5000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Wednesday Night 3000'
Thursday 4500'
Thursday Night 3500'
Friday 5000'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Wednesday Night 3500'
Thursday 4500'
Thursday Night 3500'
Friday 6000'

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Precipitation I Snow Level I 5000' Temps I Ridgeline Winds I Extended Weather

Previous forecast from Mar 25, 2024

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).

The label LT, is shorthand for ‘less than’.