Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Tuesday & Tuesday
Weak upper level ridging over the west coast continues to flatten as a weak frontal system approaches the area from the northwest. The weak frontal system is currently draped over Vancouver Island Tuesday morning and should slowly sag south over Washington this afternoon. Light precipitation will hold off for Mt. Hood until Wednesday morning. Alpine winds should be moderately strong out of the W or WNW through mid-day Wednesday with slowly increasing clouds late today. Light showers should persist along the west slopes tonight.
A shortwave trough will quickly follow on Wednesday, passing through western Washington in the afternoon. This should deliver a quick shot of light to occasionally moderate showers along with a substantial cooling trend through the day. Again, precipitation totals are on the lighter side. Some added convergence may add some additional light accumulations from Snoqualmie Pass and south with the NW flow Wednesday evening. Showers should diminish overnight as the shortwave energy splits and the flow aloft becomes northerly Wednesday night.
Weather Forecast
Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow developing North Cascades and Olympics in the late morning and spreading south in the afternoon. |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Light rain and snow showers. |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Sharp cooling trend. |
| Wednesday Night |
Mostly cloudy and colder. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow flurries developing Northeast Cascades in the early afternoon and spreading south in the afternoon. |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Light rain and snow showers mainly near the Cascade crest. |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers near the Cascade crest. Sharp cooling trend. |
| Wednesday Night |
Partly cloudy and colder. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Tuesday - Wednesday Morning |
Partly cloudy and mild with increasing clouds overnight. |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Light rain and snow showers, occasionally moderate in the evening. |
| Wednesday Night |
Mostly cloudy and colder. |
Issued: 7:30 AM PST Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | Freezing Level | 7500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 7500' | ' | 8500' |
| Tuesday Afternoon | Snow Level | 5000' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 5500' | ' | 8000' |
| Tuesday Evening | Snow Level | 4000' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 6500' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | Snow Level | 2500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 5000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | Snow Level | 1500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 1500' | ' | 2000' |
| Wednesday Night | Freezing Level | 500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 500' | ' | 1000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level 7500' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level 7500' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning |
Freezing Level 8500' |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Tuesday Evening |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' |
* 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 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
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: 7:30 AM PST Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 | --- - | W 5 - 15 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | WSW 15 - 30 | --- - | W 10 - 20 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 | --- - | W 10 - 20 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | NW 10 - 20 | --- - | W 0 - 10 | --- - | W 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | N 5 - 15 | --- - | N 0 - 10 | --- - | N 0 - 10 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | NW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | N 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | --- - |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | N 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | --- - |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | N 0 - 10 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | WSW 15 - 30 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | NW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | N 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | --- - |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | N 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | --- - |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Afternoon - Tuesday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Wednesday Night | N 0 - 10 |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Evening | --- - | --- - | W 30 - 45 | --- - | W 30 - 45 |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - | --- - | NW 20 - 35 | --- - | WNW 25 - 40 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - | --- - | W 15 - 25 | --- - | NW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night | --- - | --- - | N 15 - 25 | --- - | NNE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Evening | W 30 - 45 |
| Wednesday Morning | NW 20 - 35 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | N 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Evening | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning - Tuesday Evening | W 30 - 45 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 25 - 40 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | NW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night | NNE 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.
Issued: 7:30 AM PST Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Tuesday
Northerly flow aloft and surface high pressure in southern British Columbia will help deliver a cold and dry air mass on Thursday. This pattern should be short lived though as increasing clouds stream in from the northwest Thursday afternoon, a precursor to incoming storm system.
Snow levels should start out quite low as warm frontal precipitation spreads from the Olympics and North Cascades south during the day on Friday. However, strong high pressure out near 140 W will continue to inch eastward, and keep Washington/Oregon on the warm side of the jet stream. Snow levels should rise quickly during the day on Friday, except in the passes where easterly flow should initially keep the precipitation as now until some point late in the day. The warming trend will be accompanied by strong NW winds in the alpine through Friday night along with moderate to heavy precipitation. Showers should ease on Saturday but it should remain mild.
Extended Weather
Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Cold and dry. Increasing clouds beginning in the afternoon and continuing overnight. Light snow possible North Cascades and Olympics early Friday morning.
Increasing moderate to occasionally heavy rain and snow for west slopes turning to showers overnight. Strong warming trend with locally lower snow levels in the Cascade passes initially.
Light rain and snow showers, occasionally moderate west slopes.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday - Friday Morning | Freezing Level | ' - ' | 500' - 1500' | 1000' - 2000' | |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | ' - ' | 3500' - 4500' | 6500' - 7500' | * |
| Friday Night - Saturday | Snow Level | ' - ' | 4000' - 6000' | 5500' - 7500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday - Friday Morning |
Freezing Level ' - ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' - ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night - Saturday |
Snow Level ' - ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday - Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 500' - 1500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night - Saturday |
Snow Level 4000' - 6000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday - Friday Morning |
Freezing Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' - 7500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night - Saturday |
Snow Level 5500' - 7500' |
* 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 Dec 17, 2013
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.