Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Wednesday & Tuesday
The upper level ridge which has provided us with the recent spring like weather has finally begun to flatten and shift east into central Washington this morning. A very weak front is currently over the Washington coast this morning. This front should do little today other than increase clouds mainly for the Olympics and north and central Washington Cascades. The associated upper level trough off the central B.C. coast will swing through tonight... helping to increase low level moisture all along the west slopes and Mt. Hood along with some light showers.
A series of upper level shortwaves should pass through the area in NW flow aloft beginning Thursday bringing generally light showers at cooler snow levels to the area.
Weather Forecast
Olympics and north and central Washington Cascades including Stevens and Snoqualmie Passes
| Wednesday Morning |
Partly to mostly cloudy with high clouds. |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Becoming mostly cloudy with increasing low clouds. Chance of very light rain or snow showers. |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night |
Cloudy with occasional light rain and snow showers. Cooling trend. |
South Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including White Pass, and Mt. Hood area
| Wednesday Morning |
Mostly sunny with a few high clouds. |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening |
Partly cloudy. |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night |
Mostly cloudy with occasional light rain and snow showers. Cooling trend. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Wednesday |
Partly to mostly cloudy northeast Cascades, mostly sunny with a few high clouds southeast Cascades. |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night |
Mostly cloudy with occasional light rain and snow showers mainly near the Cascade crest. Cooling trend. |
Issued: 7:40 AM PST Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | Freezing Level * | 8000' | 9500' | 9000' | ' | ' | 10000' | ' | 10500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon | Snow Level | 5500' | 5500' | 5500' | ' | ' | 6000' | ' | 8000' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | 4500' | 4500' | 4000' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 6000' |
| Thursday | Snow Level | 4500' | 4500' | 4500' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 5000' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | 4000' | 3500' | 3500' | ' | ' | 4000' | ' | 4000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level 8000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level 9500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level 9000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning |
Freezing Level 10500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
* 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 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| 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: 7:40 AM PST Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 5 - 15 | SSW 15 - 25 | SSW 10 - 20 | --- - | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 | SW 5 - 15 | SW 10 - 20 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | WNW 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | --- - | NW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | SW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | SW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | --- - |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | NW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SSW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | SW 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | SW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | W 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | --- - |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Evening | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Night | NW 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.
Free Winds at 9000' (mph)
| Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 | SW 15 - 25 | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 | W 30 - 40 | WNW 30 - 40 | --- - | WNW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 | NW 15 - 25 | NW 25 - 35 | --- - | NW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night | NW 10 - 20 | NW 10 - 20 | NW 15 - 30 | --- - | NW 15 - 30 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night | NW 10 - 20 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning | NW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night | NW 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | WNW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning | NW 25 - 35 |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night | NW 15 - 30 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning | --- - |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | WNW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Night - Thursday Morning | NW 20 - 30 |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night | NW 15 - 30 |
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: 7:40 AM PST Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Tuesday
Another upper level shortwave should swing through on Friday... keeping a mix of clouds and the chance for showers in the forecast. A blocking pattern should begin to setup over the weekend... with a ridge building into central British Columbia and an upper level trough digging over California/Nevada. This should eventually lead to a drying trend for the PNW in N-NE flow aloft... but forecast models indicate that leftover showers may linger into Saturday. A slow warming trend is forecast to begin on Sunday.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. Cooler.
Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers.
Mostly clear.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Snow Level | 3000' - 4000' | 3000' - 4000' | 3500' - 4500' | |
| Friday Night - Saturday Night | Snow Level | 2500' - 3500' | 2500' - 3500' | 3000' - 4000' | |
| Sunday | Freezing Level | 4500' - 5500' | 4500' - 5500' | 4000' - 5000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 3000' - 4000' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' |
* 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
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.