Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Thursday & Saturday
Light showers overnight dropped a few inches of new snow across the west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood at moderate snow levels. Light showers should continue today in NW flow aloft, with additional light accumulations expected along with a slight rise in snow levels in the afternoon.
A stacked low pressure system will dive south along the B.C. coast and toward Grays Harbor by late Friday morning. Light rain and snow on the north side of the low should develop for the Olympics and south Washington Cascades overnight... or at least that's the axis of the heaviest precipitation from the latest model runs. An upslope component Friday morning for the southeast Cascades and north slopes of the Olympics may locally enhance precipitation. Mt. Hood may pick up the most snowfall since they are closer to the low's track.
As the low opens and shifts over Oregon on Friday... a marginally unstable air mass with allow showers to form over the mountains over the east slopes and drift west of the crest. A drying trend from north to south should begin later Friday and colder air will begin to move into the region as easterly winds increases.
Weather Forecast
North and central Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens and Snoqualmie Passes
| Thursday - Friday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers. |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Becoming mostly clear with isolated and light rain and snow showers ending. |
| Friday Night |
Mostly clear. Breezy E-NE winds developing. |
Olympics and south Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including White Pass
| Thursday |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Light to moderate rain and snow. |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Becoming mostly to partly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Friday Night |
Partly cloudy. Breezy E-NE winds developing. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Thursday |
Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow south and central east Cascades, partly cloudy with isolated showers northeast Cascades. |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Becoming mostly to partly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Friday Night |
Partly cloudy. Breezy E-NE winds developing south and central east Cascades. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Thursday |
Mostly cloud with light rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Light to moderate rain and snow. |
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. |
| Friday Night |
Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. Breezy E-NE winds developing. |
Issued: 2:04 PM PST Thursday, February 26, 2015
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level | 5000' | 4000' | 4000' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 5000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | Snow Level | 4000' | 3000' | 2500' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level * | 3500' | 3500' | 3000' | ' | ' | 4000' | ' | 4000' |
| Friday Night | Snow Level * | 2000' | 1500' | 1500' | ' | ' | 2500' | ' | 2500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
* 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
| Saturday | Saturday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Crystal Mt | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Paradise | 0 - 0.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| White Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Timberline | 0 - 0.75 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
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: 2:04 PM PST Thursday, February 26, 2015
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | W 0 - 10 | --- - | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 10 - 20 | NE 5 - 15 | E 5 - 15 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 10 - 20 | NE 10 - 20 | E 10 - 20 | --- - | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 | NE 15 - 25 | ENE 15 - 25 | --- - | ENE 20 - 30 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | E 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | E 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | ENE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | ENE 20 - 30 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | E 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | E 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night | ENE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | ENE 20 - 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.
Free Winds at 9000' (mph)
| Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 | W 5 - 15 | W 10 - 20 | --- - | NW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 0 - 10 | E 0 - 10 | SE 5 - 15 | --- - | W 15 - 25 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 5 - 15 | NE 5 - 15 | E 5 - 15 | --- - | NNE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 | NE 10 - 20 | NE 10 - 20 | --- - | NE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | NE 0 - 10 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | E 0 - 10 |
| Friday Afternoon | NE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | NE 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Afternoon | E 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | NE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | --- - |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | --- - |
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Thursday Afternoon | NW 15 - 25 |
| Thursday Night - Friday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Friday Afternoon | NNE 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night | NE 15 - 25 |
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: 2:04 PM PST Thursday, February 26, 2015
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
On Saturday, the upper level ridge should be re-established offshore around 140W and the upper level trough should dig over California... leaving the PNW in cool northerly flow. Moderate E-NE winds should make it feel like winter Saturday despite the clearing trend. Winds should ease on Sunday. A weak upper level trough passing through in NW flow aloft should bring an increase in clouds and the chance for some light showers Sunday night and Monday.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Mostly sunny and cooler. Moderate E-NE winds, except strong near Mt. Hood.
Mostly clear.
Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of light rain and snow showers.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon - Sunday Morning | Freezing Level | 3000' - 4000' | 2500' - 3500' | 2000' - 3000' | * |
| Sunday Afternoon | Freezing Level | 3500' - 4500' | 4000' - 5000' | 4500' - 5500' | |
| Sunday Night - Monday | Snow Level | 1500' - 2500' | 1500' - 2500' | 2000' - 3000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon - Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 3000' - 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 1500' - 2500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon - Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 2500' - 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 1500' - 2500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Saturday Afternoon - Sunday Morning |
Freezing Level 2000' - 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Sunday Night - Monday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
* 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 26, 2015
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