Issued: 7:47 AM PDT Thursday, March 19, 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 Thursday & Monday

Upper level ridging didn't hang around very long this time over the Pacific Northwest and the upper level ridge axis has begun to tilt toward the Canadian Rockies this morning.  A frontal boundary will remain draped over southern British Columbia through Friday and bring occasional light rain and snow to the Olympics and north Cascades along with a mix of sun and clouds further south. This setup looks similar to last Friday/Saturday on satellite... but luckily there isn't a subtropical tap of moisture this time around.  

The front should finally pass through Friday night, with clouds increasing for all areas during the day and light rain and snow developing by late afternoon or evening.  Post-frontal showers will follow mainly the west slopes of the Cascades late Friday night. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics and north Washington Cascades including Stevens Pass
Thursday - Friday

Mostly cloudy with periods of light rain and snow. 

Central and south Washington Cascades including Snoqualmie and White Passes and Mt. Hood area
Thursday - Friday Mid-day

Partly cloudy with a mix of mid and high clouds.  Less clouds Mt. Hood. 

Friday Night

Cloudy with light rain and snow becoming showers overnight.  

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Thursday Morning Snow Level 6000' 5000' 5000' ' ' 5500' ' 6500'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level 7000' 5500' 5500' ' ' 6000' ' 7000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level 6500' 6000' 6000' ' ' 6500' ' 6500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
6000'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
7000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
6500'
Friday Night Snow Level
5000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
5500'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
6000'
Friday Night Snow Level
5000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
5500'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
6000'
Friday Night Snow Level
5000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
'
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
'
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
5500'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
6000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
6500'
Friday Night Snow Level
5500'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
'
Friday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Morning Snow Level
6500'
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning Snow Level
7000'
Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening Snow Level
6500'
Friday Night Snow Level
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.

Precipitation Forecast

Monday Monday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area 0 - 0.50 0 - 1.50
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise LT 0.10 0.75 - 1.00
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 10 - 20 S 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 --- - SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning SW 10 - 20 S 5 - 15 SSW 5 - 15 --- - SW 15 - 25
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 10 - 20
Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 30
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday - Thursday Night S 5 - 15
Friday Morning S 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night S 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SSW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Thursday - Thursday Night --- -
Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning SW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 10 - 20
Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 15 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday - Thursday Night S 5 - 15
Friday Morning S 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night S 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SSW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday - Thursday Night --- -
Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday - Thursday Night SW 5 - 15
Friday Morning SW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon - Friday Night SW 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 Morning SW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 --- - WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning SW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35 WSW 25 - 35 --- - SW 25 - 35
Friday Afternoon SW 40 - 50 SW 25 - 35 SW 40 - 50 --- - SW 40 - 50
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning SW 20 - 30
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning SW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon SW 40 - 50
Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning SW 20 - 30
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Friday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Friday Night SW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Friday Afternoon SW 40 - 50
Friday Night SW 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning --- -
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning --- -
Friday Afternoon --- -
Friday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Thursday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Thursday Afternoon - Friday Morning SW 25 - 35
Friday Afternoon SW 40 - 50
Friday Night SW 25 - 35

Extended Weather Synopsis for Monday night through Monday

Left over showers should diminish Saturday morning, but the air mass should be marginally unstable with the upper level trough overhead keeping a mix of clouds and showers in the forecast.   

There should be a dry period for the mountains from Saturday night through at least part of Sunday. Forecast models disagree how quickly the next splitting frontal system will approach from the west, and we may squeeze in a mostly sunny and dry Sunday. The weak frontal system should pass through Sunday night, with a colder and unstable air mass in place for the Monday.  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Saturday Morning

Light rain and snow showers except occasionally moderate along the west slopes of the Cascades. 

Saturday Afternoon

Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. 

Saturday Night - Sunday Morning

Partly cloudy. 

Sunday Afternoon

Increasing clouds. 

Sunday Night

Light rain and snow. 

Monday

Mostly cloudy with scattered light to moderate rain and snow showers. Cooler. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Saturday Snow Level 3500' - 4500' 4000' - 5000' 4500' - 5500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Freezing Level 4000' - 6000' 4500' - 6500' 6000' - 7000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Freezing Level
4000' - 6000'
Sunday Night - Monday Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Saturday Night - Sunday Freezing Level
4500' - 6500'
Sunday Night - Monday Snow Level
3500' - 4500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Saturday Night - Sunday Freezing Level
6000' - 7000'
Sunday Night - Monday Snow Level
3500' - 4500'

* 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 Mar 15, 2015

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