Issued: 7:42 AM PDT Monday, April 4, 2016
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 Monday & Saturday

A front passed through the Cascades early this morning and snow levels have generally lowered to around 3500-4000 feet. Cool post-frontal westerly flow will maintain orographic showers that favor the west slopes of the Olympics and Cascades today. The cool air mass will be unstable and isolated thunderstorms can't be ruled out through Monday afternoon. 

A Puget Sound convergence zone should form Monday afternoon and evening, with locally higher snow totals most likely near Stevens Pass. Outside of the convergence zone, showers should generally diminish Monday night. 

A warm front off Vancouver Island will brush mainly the north and central Washington Cascades and the Olympics on Tuesday with some light rain and snow as a strong upper ridge building around 130 W deflects the bulk of precipitation into central and northern British Columbia. A slow warming trend will ensue on Tuesday, with skies partially clearing in the afternoon for Mt. Hood and the far south Washington Cascades as the front is pushed north. Onshore flow combined with warming aloft should trap low-level moisture against the much of the west slopes of the Cascades. NW winds coming over the top of the ridge will keep alpine winds moderate despite the drying trend Tuesday. 

Weather Forecast

Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
Monday

Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Cooler. Gusty west winds. Local higher snow accumulations near the Puget Sound convergence zone in the Stevens Pass area this afternoon. 

Monday Night

Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing overnight, except occasionally moderate showers near convergence zone likely affecting Stevens or Snoqualmie Pass.  

Tuesday Morning

Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. Moderate alpine NW winds. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Cloudy with periods of very light rain and snow possible north Cascades. Becoming partly sunny south Washington Cascades. Slow warming trend.  Moderate alpine NW winds. 

Olympics
Monday

Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Cooler. Gusty west winds. 

Monday Night

Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing overnight.  

Tuesday Morning

Cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Cloudy with periods of very light rain and snow possible. Slow warming trend. 

Mt. Hood Area
Monday

Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Cooler. Moderate to strong west winds. 

Monday Night

Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing overnight. Moderate alpine NW winds. 

Tuesday Morning

Mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. Moderate alpine NW winds. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Partly sunny. Slow warming trend.  

East slopes of the Washington Cascades
Monday

Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers. Cooler. Gusty crest level west winds. Local higher snow accumulations downwind of the Puget Sound convergence zone in the central-east Cascades Monday afternoon. 

Monday Night

Partly to mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers decreasing overnight.  

Tuesday Morning

Mostly cloudy. Moderate alpine NW winds. 

Tuesday Afternoon

Cloudy with periods of very light rain and snow possible north Cascades. Partly sunny south Washington Cascades. Slow warming trend.  Moderate alpine NW winds. 

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Monday Snow Level 3500' 3500' 3500' ' ' 3500' ' 4000'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level 3000' 3000' 3000' ' ' 3000' ' 3500'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level 5500' 5000' 5000' ' ' 5000' ' 7000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Monday Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Monday Night Freezing Level
10000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
8000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Monday Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
9000'
Leavenworth Elevation
Monday Snow Level
'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Freezing Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Monday Snow Level
'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Freezing Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday Snow Level
3500'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
10000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Monday Snow Level
'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Monday Night Freezing Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday Snow Level
4000'
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
7000'
Monday Night Freezing Level
11000'

* 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 LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.10
Washington Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass 0.75 - 1.25 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass 0.50 - 1.00 LT 0.25
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Paradise 0.75 - 1.00 LT 0.10
White Pass 0 - 0.75 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows 0.50 - 0.75 LT 0.10
0.75 - 1.00 LT 0.10

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Monday WSW 15 - 30 WSW 15 - 30 WSW 20 - 35 --- - W 20 - 30
Monday Night W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 --- - NW 15 - 25
Tuesday W 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 --- - NW 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Monday WSW 15 - 30
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Tuesday W 0 - 10
Tuesday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Elevation
Monday WSW 15 - 30
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Tuesday W 5 - 15
Tuesday Night WSW 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Monday WSW 20 - 35
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Tuesday W 5 - 15
Tuesday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Monday --- -
Monday Night --- -
Tuesday --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Monday W 20 - 30
Monday Night NW 15 - 25
Tuesday NW 10 - 20
Tuesday Night NW 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Monday WSW 15 - 30
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Tuesday W 0 - 10
Tuesday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Monday WSW 15 - 30
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Tuesday W 5 - 15
Tuesday Night WSW 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Monday WSW 20 - 35
Monday Night W 10 - 20
Tuesday W 5 - 15
Tuesday Night W 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Monday --- -
Monday Night --- -
Tuesday --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Monday W 20 - 30
Monday Night NW 15 - 25
Tuesday NW 10 - 20
Tuesday Night NW 5 - 15

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
Monday W 25 - 35 W 30 - 40 WNW 30 - 40 --- - W 35 - 45
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning NW 15 - 25 NW 20 - 30 NW 25 - 35 --- - NW 35 - 45
Tuesday Afternoon NW 30 - 40 NW 30 - 40 NW 40 - 50 --- - NW 25 - 35
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Monday W 25 - 35
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning NW 15 - 25
Tuesday Afternoon NW 30 - 40
Tuesday Night NW 30 - 40
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Monday W 30 - 40
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning NW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon NW 30 - 40
Tuesday Night NW 30 - 40
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Monday WNW 30 - 40
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning NW 25 - 35
Tuesday Afternoon NW 40 - 50
Tuesday Night NW 25 - 35
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Monday --- -
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Monday W 35 - 45
Monday Night - Tuesday Morning NW 35 - 45
Tuesday Afternoon NW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night NNW 15 - 25

Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday

Warm weather with sunshine and high freezing levels will return Wednesday through Friday as a broad upper level ridge builds along the west coast.  A weak and splitting frontal system approaching the coast on Friday should nudge the upper level ridge axis inland and bring in slightly cooler air for the west slopes of the Cascades and Olympics as well as introduce the chance of an afternoon mountain showers. 

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood area
Wednesday

Mostly cloudy north Cascades in the morning, mostly clear south Cascades and Mt. Hood.  Mostly sunny and warm everywhere in the afternoon. 

Wednesday Night - Friday Morning

Mostly clear. Warm. 

Friday Afternoon

Partly to mostly sunny, chance of afternoon mountain showers. Slightly cooler west slopes of the Cascades and Olympics. 

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Freezing Level 10500' - 11500' 11000' - 12000' 12000' - 13000'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level 12000' - 13000' 12000' - 13000' 12000' - 13000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Freezing Level
10500' - 11500'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
12000' - 13000'
Friday Freezing Level
9000' - 10000'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Freezing Level
11000' - 12000'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
12000' - 13000'
Friday Freezing Level
9500' - 10500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Wednesday - Wednesday Night Freezing Level
12000' - 13000'
Thursday - Thursday Night Freezing Level
12000' - 13000'
Friday Freezing Level
10000' - 11000'

* 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 Apr 3, 2016

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