Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Tuesday & Monday
Afternoon Update: No changes
Warm frontal precipitation lifted over the area from the south late Monday night beginning a slow warming trend that continued through Tuesday afternoon.
Cool easterly flow through the Passes will keep snow levels locally lower during the daylight hours. Precipitation that eases off in the south and central Cascades late morning/mid-day should quickly fill-in again as the cold front approaches Tuesday afternoon. Precipitation rates will locally stay heavy in the Mt. Baker area all day although the warm-up should only top out between 5000-5500 ft. The east slopes won't be shadowed until Tuesday night and should also see decent precipitation amounts with slowly rising snow levels.
The cold front associated with the system will pass through the Cascades late afternoon with a switch to westerly winds in the Passes Tuesday evening. A modest warm-up with the switch to westerly may push rain above pass level at Stevens early Tuesday evening. A slow cooling trend will ensue Tuesday night. A sharp trough moving through area Tuesday night along with strong surface pressure rises should make for blustery post-frontal showers.
Showers will barely have time to wind down Wednesday morning before the next Pacific frontal system reaches the Pacific Northwest. Warm frontal moisture should spread inland late Wednesday afternoon and evening with the cold front passing through Wednesday night. The quick moving nature of this system should lead to lower precipitation amounts.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Tuesday |
Stormy with moderate rain and snow. Cooling trend beginning Tuesday afternoon. |
| Tuesday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Gusty winds decreasing overnight. |
| Wednesday |
Light rain and snow showers ending in the morning. Increasing high clouds with light rain and snow developing in the afternoon. Warming trend in the afternoon. |
| Wednesday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming showers overnight. Cooling trend. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Tuesday |
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow south and central Cascades increasing to moderate in the afternoon. Moderate to heavy rain and snow Mt. Baker area. Warming trend. Strong alpine winds. |
| Tuesday Night |
Moderate rain and snow showers. Slow cooling trend. Gusty winds. |
| Wednesday |
Light rain and snow showers decreasing in the morning. Increasing high clouds with a chance of light rain and snow in the afternoon. Warming trend in the afternoon. |
| Wednesday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming showers overnight. Cooling trend. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Tuesday |
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow southeast and central-east Cascades in the morning become light to moderate in the afternoon. Potentially mixing with freezing rain interior valleys and near the Passes early afternoon. Light to moderate snow northeast Cascades. Slow warming trend. |
| Tuesday Night |
Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Slow cooling trend overnight. Gusty winds. |
| Wednesday |
Light rain and snow showers decreasing in the morning. Increasing high clouds with a chance of light rain and snow late in the afternoon. Slow warming trend in the afternoon. |
| Wednesday Night |
Light rain and snow becoming mostly cloudy with light showers overnight. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Tuesday |
Cloudy with periods of light rain and snow becoming moderate rain and snow in the afternoon. Mild. Strong alpine winds. |
| Tuesday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow showers. Slow cooling trend. Gusty winds. |
| Wednesday |
Light rain and snow showers decreasing in the morning. Increasing high clouds with a chance of light rain and snow in the afternoon. Warming trend in the afternoon. |
| Wednesday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming showers overnight. Cooling trend. |
Issued: 3:38 PM PST Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | Snow Level * | 4500' | 5500' | 4500' | ' | ' | 5000' | ' | 5000' |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | Snow Level | 4000' | 3500' | 3000' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 4000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon | Snow Level * | 5500' | 4500' | 4500' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 6500' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level * | 4500' | 4000' | 4000' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 5000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 3000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 5000' (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 | 0 - 1.00 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 3.00 - 4.00 | 0 - 1.50 |
| Washington Pass | 0 - 1.50 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Stevens Pass | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 1.50 - 2.00 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 |
| Crystal Mt | 1.50 - 2.00 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Paradise | 2.00 - 3.00 | 0 - 0.75 |
| White Pass | 0 - 1.00 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.75 - 1.00 | 0 - 0.50 |
| Timberline | 0 - 1.00 | 0 - 0.50 |
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: 3:38 PM PST Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 | SSW 25 - 35 | SSW 25 - 35 | --- - | SW 35 - 45 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 25 - 35 | SW 15 - 25 | SW 35 - 50 | --- - | SW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 | SW 10 - 20 | SW 20 - 30 | --- - | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 | SE 5 - 15 | ESE 10 - 20 | --- - | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 | SW 15 - 25 | S 15 - 30 | --- - | SW 15 - 25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SSW 25 - 35 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SSW 25 - 35 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 35 - 50 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | S 15 - 30 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Tuesday Night | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SSW 25 - 35 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SE 5 - 15 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 15 - 25 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SSW 25 - 35 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 35 - 50 |
| Wednesday Morning | SW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | ESE 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | S 15 - 30 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Tuesday Night | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 35 - 45 |
| Tuesday Night | SW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | S 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 40 - 50 | SW 25 - 35 | SW 50 - 60 | --- - | SW 60 - 80 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | WSW 25 - 35 | WSW 35 - 45 | W 35 - 45 | --- - | W 50 - 70 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 | SW 15 - 25 | SW 50 - 60 | --- - | SW 40 - 50 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 40 - 60 | SW 35 - 45 | SW 40 - 50 | --- - | SW 50 - 60 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 40 - 50 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 40 - 60 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 25 - 35 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | WSW 35 - 45 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 35 - 45 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 50 - 60 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | W 35 - 45 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 50 - 60 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 40 - 50 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | SW 60 - 80 |
| Tuesday Night - Wednesday Morning | W 50 - 70 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | SW 40 - 50 |
| Wednesday Night | SW 50 - 60 |
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: 3:38 PM PST Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Extended Weather Synopsis for Monday night through Monday
A shortwave trough passing through Thursday will keep unsettled weather with showers in the forecast. The active pattern shows no sign of slowing down with another system approaching Friday and passing through the Cascades Friday night. Showers should decrease on Saturday. Middling snow levels should continue through the extended period without any drastic warm-ups or cool downs.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers decreasing overnight.
Increasing clouds with light to moderate rain and snow developing.
Moderate rain and snow, heaviest west slopes.
Cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing Saturday afternoon.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday - Saturday | Snow Level | 4000' - 5000' | 4500' - 5500' | 5500' - 7000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday - Saturday |
Snow Level 4000' - 5000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday - Saturday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday - Saturday |
Snow Level 5500' - 7000' |
* 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 1, 2016
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