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 & Sunday
A weak upper level system passed through earlier today with passing high clouds. Christmas afternoon shows a mix of mostly cloudy conditions over the north Cascades and Olympics transitioning to mostly sunny conditions toward Mt. Hood. An upper ridge offshore will deflect a system into central British Columbia over the short term except for some light warm frontal moisture that may impact the north Cascades on Thursday morning.
Freezing levels will be on the mild side, especially down south. Easterly flow through the passes, strongest today, should help keep freezing levels locally lower. Temperatures warmed nicely today, most NWAC stations outside the passes reached into the upper 30s to 40s. A Pacific frontal system approaching from the west Thursday night should push the upper ridge inland and lead to a general increase in clouds and upper mountain winds.
Weather Forecast
Olympics, Washington Cascades
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Mostly cloudy north Cascades and Olympics, partly to mostly clear central and south Cascades. Valley fog possible overnight. |
| Thursday Morning |
Light rain and snow north Cascades, otherwise mostly cloudy. |
| Thursday Afternoon - Thursday Night |
Partly cloudy, increasing high and mid clouds late Thursday night. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Night |
Mostly clear and mild. |
Issued: 2:12 PM PST Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night | Freezing Level * | 9000' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 7500' | ' | 10000' |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening | Freezing Level * | 8500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 8500' | ' | 11000' |
| Thursday Night | Freezing Level * | 7500' | ' | ' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 9000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 9000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level 8500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 7500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 7500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level 8500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Wednesday Night |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday - Thursday Evening |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Freezing Level 9000' (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
| Sunday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
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: 2:12 PM PST Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 | --- - | W 5 - 15 | --- - | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | W 5 - 15 |
| Thursday Night | SW 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 Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - | --- - | WNW 20 - 35 | --- - | WNW 10 - 25 |
| Thursday Night | --- - | --- - | WSW 30 - 40 | --- - | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | WNW 20 - 35 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | --- - |
| Thursday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Afternoon - Thursday Evening | WNW 10 - 25 |
| Thursday Night | WSW 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.
Issued: 2:12 PM PST Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Extended Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Sunday
A frontal system should sweep through the area on Friday with a burst of moderate precipitation for the west slopes of the Washington Cascades and quickly lowering snow levels late in the day. Forecast models disagree on the strength of this system, mainly if it will deliver a moderate snowfall to the north Cascades. Storm totals from this system should taper off from the central Cascades and further south.
The upper level ridge should rebuild offshore over the weekend. Freezing levels will likely be slow to rebound on Saturday, making for a mostly dry and cool day. Sunday should be warmer and mostly dry, but again some light warm frontal precipitation may slip under the ridge and affect the north Cascades.
Extended Weather
Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Light to moderate rain and snow north Cascades spreading south Friday morning. Clouds lowering.
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming light to moderate showers. Precipitation heaviest west slopes of the WA Cascades. Cooling trend.
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain or snow showers. Cooler.
Partly to mostly clear. Gradual warming trend Saturday night through Sunday. Light rain or snow possible north Cascades Sunday afternoon.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Morning | Snow Level | ' - ' | 4500' - 5500' | 5000' - 6000' | |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | ' - ' | 3500' - 4500' | 4500' - 5500' | |
| Friday Night | Snow Level | ' - ' | 2500' - 3500' | 4000' - 5000' | |
| Saturday - Saturday Night | Freezing Level | ' - ' | 1500' - 3000' | 4000' - 5000' | |
| Sunday | Freezing Level | ' - ' | 6000' - 8000' | 8000' - 10000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level ' - ' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' - ' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level ' - ' |
| Saturday - Saturday Night |
Freezing Level ' - ' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level ' - ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 2500' - 3500' |
| Saturday - Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 1500' - 3000' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 6000' - 8000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 5000' - 6000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Saturday - Saturday Night |
Freezing Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 8000' - 10000' |
* 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 25, 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.