Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Sunday & Monday
PM update: Skies cleared up south of I-90 with temperatures pushing well into the 40s at many NWAC stations. Temperatures have been somewhat more subdued with the cloud cover north of I-90.
A strong ridge of high pressure centered over the coast will deflect the bulk of warm frontal moisture well north into central British Columbia today. Some high and mid clouds will pass through the ridge in NW flow aloft over the area, with decreasing cloud cover from north to south over the area, and with the most sunshine likely down toward Mt. Hood. Some very light precipitation is possible for the Olympics and north Cascades as well. Alpine winds should stay moderate today out of the NW.
The upper level ridge will pass inland Sunday night and Monday and bring about increasing freezing levels to heights not seen this winter. 13000 ft freezing levels should take hold Monday through early Tuesday morning before the ridge axis shifts east of the Cascades.
Exceptions to the warmth should be seen in the Passes, the lower slopes of Mt. Hood and eastern slopes of the Cascades where cool easterly flow and temperature inversions should locally lead to multiple freezing levels.
Weather Forecast
Olympics and north Cascades
| Sunday |
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow. Warming trend. Moderate alpine winds. |
| Sunday Night |
Mostly cloudy becoming mostly clear. Warming trend. |
| Monday - Monday Night |
Clear and mild. |
Central and south Washington Cascades near and west of the crest
| Sunday |
Partly to mostly cloudy with periods of high clouds. Hight clouds decreasing south Washington Cascades Sunday afternoon. Warming trend. Moderate alpine winds. |
| Sunday Night |
Partly to mostly cloudy becoming mostly clear. Warming trend. |
| Monday - Monday Night |
Clear and mild. Cool east flow in the Cascade Passes producing temperature inversions. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Sunday |
Partly sunny with periods of high clouds, except mostly cloudy northeast Cascades. Slow warming trend. Moderate alpine winds. |
| Sunday Night |
Partly to mostly cloudy becoming mostly clear. Slow warming trend mid and upper elevations of the east slopes. |
| Monday - Monday Night |
Clear and mild, except cooler lower elevations of the east slopes. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Sunday |
Partly cloudy with high clouds becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. Warming trend. Moderate alpine winds. |
| Sunday Night |
Mostly clear. Warming trend. |
| Monday - Monday Night |
Clear and mild mid and upper elevations. Cool easterly flow producing temperature inversions lower slopes. |
Issued: 2:09 PM PST Sunday, February 7, 2016
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | Freezing Level * | 9500' | 8500' | 8000' | ' | ' | 10000' | ' | 11000' |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | Freezing Level * | 12000' | 11000' | 11000' | ' | ' | 11500' | ' | 12500' |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night | Freezing Level * | 12500' | 12500' | 12500' | ' | ' | 12500' | ' | 13000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 9500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 12000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 8500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 8000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 11500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon |
Freezing Level 11000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Freezing Level 12500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Night |
Freezing Level 13000' (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
| Monday | Monday | |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.25 | 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: 2:09 PM PST Sunday, February 7, 2016
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 10 - 20 | SW 5 - 15 | SW 0 - 10 | --- - | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 5 - 15 | SW 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | --- - | SE 5 - 15 |
| Monday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 0 | VAR 0 - 10 | ESE 5 - 15 | --- - | SE 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | S 5 - 15 | SE 10 - 20 | SE 15 - 25 | --- - | SE 15 - 25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Monday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 0 |
| Monday Night | S 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Monday Night | SE 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Monday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | --- - |
| Monday Afternoon | --- - |
| Monday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Monday Afternoon | SE 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 10 - 20 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 5 - 15 |
| Monday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 0 |
| Monday Night | S 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Monday Night | SE 10 - 20 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | SW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | ESE 5 - 15 |
| Monday Night | SE 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | --- - |
| Monday Afternoon | --- - |
| Monday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SE 5 - 15 |
| Monday Afternoon | SE 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | SE 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.
Free Winds at 9000' (mph)
| Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | W 25 - 35 | W 25 - 35 | WNW 15 - 25 | --- - | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | W 15 - 25 | WNW 15 - 30 | W 10 - 20 | --- - | W 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | WNW 10 - 20 | WNW 10 - 20 | WNW 5 - 15 | --- - | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Monday Night | SW 10 - 20 | SW 5 - 15 | S 10 - 20 | --- - | SSE 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | W 25 - 35 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Monday Afternoon | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | SW 10 - 20 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | W 25 - 35 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | WNW 15 - 30 |
| Monday Afternoon | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | SW 5 - 15 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Monday Afternoon | WNW 5 - 15 |
| Monday Night | S 10 - 20 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | --- - |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | --- - |
| Monday Afternoon | --- - |
| Monday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Afternoon | NW 5 - 15 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | W 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | SSE 0 - 10 |
| Monday Night | SSE 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.
Issued: 2:09 PM PST Sunday, February 7, 2016
Extended Weather Synopsis for Monday night through Monday
Tuesday should be another mild and clear day, but increasing E-SE winds for exposed locations along with dropping freezing levels should not make it feel as warm as Monday.
A very weak front should sputter along the coast Wednesday morning. Forecast models differ, but the GFS model indicates a new wave will develop along the old frontal boundary Wednesday night and Thursday and push light rain and snow inland. Snow levels will lower, but will still be fairly mild for mid-February.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood
Mild and clear. Increasing winds with slightly lowering freezing levels Tuesday afternoon and night. Temperature inversions Passes and lower east slopes and Mt. Hood.
Becoming mostly cloudy. Chance of very light rain or snow Olympics and north Cascades.
Cloudy with light rain and snow developing Wednesday night.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Freezing Level | 11000' - 13000' | 11000' - 13000' | 11000' - 13000' | * |
| Tuesday Night | Freezing Level | 8000' - 10000' | 8000' - 10000' | 8000' - 10000' | * |
| Wednesday - Thursday | Snow Level | 5500' - 7500' | 6000' - 8000' | 6000' - 8000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 11000' - 13000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night |
Freezing Level 8000' - 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday - Thursday |
Snow Level 5500' - 7500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 11000' - 13000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night |
Freezing Level 8000' - 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday - Thursday |
Snow Level 6000' - 8000' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday |
Freezing Level 11000' - 13000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night |
Freezing Level 8000' - 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday - Thursday |
Snow Level 6000' - 8000' |
* 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 7, 2016
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.