Issued: 1:48 PM PST Tuesday, February 17, 2015
by Dennis D'Amico

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 & Wednesday

We have one more day of high freezing levels in store for us with a high amplitude upper level ridge offshore. Cool easterly flow will ease near the Cascade Passes this afternoon and temperatures should warm nicely at all elevations under mostly sunny skies. 

A weak frontal system will push into central British Columbia Wednesday, and bring an increase in clouds, mainly for the Olympics and north and central Cascades. The associated upper level trough will dig over B.C. and WA state late Wednesday night, with a further increase in cloudiness and light showers expected beginning Wednesday night.  

Weather Forecast

Olympics, Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Tuesday

Mostly sunny. Mild. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning

Mostly clear, then becoming mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds overnight. 

Wednesday Afternoon

Partly cloudy south Cascades, mostly cloudy central and north Cascades and Olympics with a chance of very light rain and snow showers. 

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Tuesday

Mostly sunny. Mild. 

Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning

Mostly clear, then becoming partly to mostly cloudy with increasing high clouds overnight. 

Wednesday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of very light rain and snow showers near the Cascade crest. 

Mt. Hood Area
Tuesday

Mostly sunny. Mild. 

Tuesday Night

Mostly clear. 

Wednesday

Mostly clear in the morning becoming partly cloudy in the afternoon. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level * 12500' 11500' 10000' ' ' 12000' ' 13000'
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level 10500' 9000' 8000' ' ' 9000' ' 11500'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level 6000' 5500' 5500' ' ' 6000' ' 8500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
12500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
10500'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
6000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
11500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
9000'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
4500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
10000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
8000'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
4500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
12000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
9000'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
6000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
4500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Freezing Level
13000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
11500'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
8500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
6500'

* 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

Wednesday Wednesday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Paradise LT 0.10 LT 0.10
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 LT 0.10
LT 0.10 LT 0.10

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Tuesday Afternoon SE 0 - 10 SE 0 - 10 SE 5 - 15 --- - S 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 5 - 15 S 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 --- - SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 --- - W 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SE 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SE 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning S 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon S 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SE 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SE 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning S 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon S 0 - 10
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Wednesday Night W 5 - 15

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 Afternoon NW 5 - 15 NNW 10 - 20 NNW 5 - 15 --- - NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 15 - 25 --- - W 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night W 20 - 30
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon NNW 10 - 20
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning WSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night W 25 - 35
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon NNW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night W 30 - 40
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning W 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night W 25 - 35

Extended Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Wednesday

The trough should produce light showers mainly for the west slopes of the Cascades and Olympics Thursday. Snow levels will lower to moderate levels... especially for this winter... but precipitation amounts are still forecast to be light.  Light showers should linger through Thursday night and Friday morning.  Mt. Hood will likely be drier and less cloudy than areas further north through the entire forecast period

The upper level ridge will begin building offshore around 135 W Friday, but wrap around clouds on the back side of the trough and onshore flow at the surface should help keep clouds in the forecast and slow the clearing trend.  Northerly flow aloft and an amplifying upper level ridge offshore should begin the drying and slow warming trend on Saturday.  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades
Thursday

Cloudy with light rain and snow showers. Cooler. 

Thursday Night - Friday Morning

Mostly cloudy with isolated rain and snow showers. 

Friday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy. 

Friday Night - Saturday

Mostly clear with slight warming trend Saturday. 

Mt. Hood Area
Thursday

Mostly cloudy with a chance of light rain and snow showers. Cooler. 

Thursday Night - Friday Morning

Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated rain and snow showers. 

Friday Afternoon

Partly sunny. 

Friday Night - Saturday

Mostly clear with slight warming trend Saturday. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Thursday Snow Level 4000' - 5000' 4000' - 5000' 4500' - 5500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level 3000' - 4000' 3500' - 4500' 4000' - 5000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night Freezing Level 3000' - 4000' 3500' - 4500' 3500' - 4500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night Freezing Level
3000' - 4000'
Saturday Freezing Level
4500' - 5500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night Freezing Level
3500' - 4500'
Saturday Freezing Level
4500' - 5500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Thursday Night - Friday Morning Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night Freezing Level
3500' - 4500'
Saturday Freezing Level
4500' - 5500'

* 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 Feb 17, 2015

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