Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k
Weather Synopsis for Sunday & Monday
A shortwave ridge moving over the PNW will provide us with some fine weather on Christmas Day. Freezing levels will be low but at least skies will be mostly clear with light winds.
The fair weather will not last long as a strong westerly jet once again becomes squarely aimed at Washington Monday night. High clouds should increase overnight and through Monday morning as moisture begins to stream into the region.
Cloud ceilings should lower quickly Monday afternoon with light rain and snow spreading south from the Olympics and north Cascades. Alpine winds will also ramp up quickly Monday afternoon, so expect reduced visibility late in the day if above treeline.
The bulk of precipitation from the incoming frontal system will move in Monday night. A slight warming trend should take place overnight out ahead of and with the frontal passage for the Olympics and west slopes of the Cascades with snow levels peaking around 3000 feet after midnight through the early morning hours of Tuesday for the central Cascades including Snoqualmie Pass and 3500 feet for the south Washington Cascades including Crystal, Paradise and White Pass.
Heavy precipitation will hold off until after midnight for Mt. Hood as the front slowly sags south.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Sunday |
Mostly sunny. |
| Sunday Night |
Mostly clear becoming mostly cloudy overnight with increasing high clouds. |
| Monday |
Light rain and snow. Becoming windy in the afternoon. |
| Monday Night |
Stormy. Slight warming trend Monday night. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Sunday Morning |
Mostly sunny except areas of low clouds lower slopes central Cascades and Snoqualmie and Stevens Passes. |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Mostly clear becoming mostly cloudy late Sunday night with increasing high clouds. Light snow developing north Cascades Monday morning. |
| Monday Afternoon |
Clouds lowering with alpine winds increasing. Light snow. |
| Monday Night |
Becoming stormy. Slight warming trend late Monday night. |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Mostly sunny. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Sunday Afternoon |
Mostly sunny. |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Mostly clear becoming mostly cloudy late Sunday night with increasing high clouds. Very light snow developing northeast Cascades Monday morning. |
| Monday Afternoon |
Clouds lowering with alpine winds increasing. Light snow northeast Cascades spreading south in the afternoon. |
| Monday Night |
Light to moderate snow, heaviest near the Cascade crest. Strong alpine winds. |
| Sunday Morning |
Mostly sunny except patchy low clouds valleys and near Cascade Passes. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Sunday |
Mostly sunny. |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning |
Mostly clear becoming partly cloudy late Sunday night with increasing high clouds. |
| Monday Afternoon |
Becoming mostly cloudy with alpine winds increasing. |
| Monday Night |
Light to moderate rain and snow becoming stormy after midnight. Slight warming trend late Monday night. |
Issued: 8:16 AM PST Sunday, December 25, 2016
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night | Freezing Level | 1000' | 500' | 500' | ' | ' | 500' | ' | 1000' |
| Monday Morning | Snow Level * | 2000' | 500' | 500' | ' | ' | 1000' | ' | 1500' |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening | Snow Level * | 3000' | 1500' | 500' | ' | ' | 1500' | ' | 2000' |
| Monday Night | Snow Level * | 4000' | 2500' | 2000' | ' | ' | 3000' | ' | 4500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 2500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level 500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 2000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 1000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 3000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level ' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level ' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday - Sunday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Afternoon - Monday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 4500' (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 0.10 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 - 0.75 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 - 1.00 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | 0 - 0.75 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | 0 - 1.50 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 - 0.75 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | 0 - 0.75 |
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: 8:16 AM PST Sunday, December 25, 2016
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | VAR 0 - 10 | --- - | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | --- - | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 | S 15 - 25 | S 15 - 25 | --- - | SW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | SW 20 - 30 | SW 20 - 30 | WSW 20 - 35 | --- - | WSW 35 - 45 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Monday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | S 15 - 25 |
| Monday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | S 15 - 25 |
| Monday Night | WSW 20 - 35 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | --- - |
| Monday Afternoon | --- - |
| Monday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | WSW 35 - 45 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 20 - 30 |
| Monday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | S 15 - 25 |
| Monday Night | SW 20 - 30 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | VAR 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | S 15 - 25 |
| Monday Night | WSW 20 - 35 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | --- - |
| Monday Afternoon | --- - |
| Monday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | W 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Night | WSW 35 - 45 |
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 | NW 0 - 10 | NW 0 - 10 | NW 0 - 10 | --- - | NW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 | WNW 10 - 20 | WNW 10 - 20 | --- - | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 30 - 40 | SW 30 - 40 | SW 30 - 40 | --- - | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Monday Night | SW 35 - 50 | SW 40 - 50 | WSW 50 - 60 | --- - | WSW 60 - 70 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | NW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 30 - 40 |
| Monday Night | SW 35 - 50 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | NW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 30 - 40 |
| Monday Night | SW 40 - 50 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | NW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Afternoon | SW 30 - 40 |
| Monday Night | WSW 50 - 60 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | --- - |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | --- - |
| Monday Afternoon | --- - |
| Monday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday | NW 0 - 10 |
| Sunday Night - Monday Morning | WNW 10 - 20 |
| Monday Afternoon | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Monday Night | WSW 60 - 70 |
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.
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k
Previous forecast from Dec 25, 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.
Updated Christmas morning for low clouds lower slopes central Cascades and central WA Passes.