Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Friday & Saturday
Afternoon update: No major changes to short term
It's a cool morning across the PNW with about 2-4 inches of new snow above 4000 feet in Cascades over the last 24 hours. A nearly stationary low pressure system located well of Vancouver Island will continue to plague the PNW with cool and showery weather today. Snow levels will be seasonally cool for mid-April. Convective showers streaming inland from the low pressure system offshore will mainly affect the Olympics this morning and mostly peter out over the Cascades. Daytime heating and an unstable air mass will induce increased shower activity this afternoon. A thunderstorm seems unlikely but showers may contain graupel due to the instability and low snow levels. A Puget Sound Convergence zone is still slotted to form sometime this afternoon through evening and hang up over the Glacier Peak/Mountain Loop Highway region. Locally higher precipitation amounts from the convergence zone may also affect the Stevens Pass area as well.
Showers should diminish overnight with the loss of daytime heating. On Saturday, clouds along with light showers should be most abundant for the north Cascades and the Olympics. Increased sunbreaks should be seen over the central and south Washington Cascades and even more so for the Mt. Hood area. Weak onshore flow along with weak upper level ridging makes the prospects of a full afternoon breakout more uncertain in the central-west and southwest Cascades. A clearing and drying trend should take place Saturday night as stronger upper level ridging builds over the coast.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Slight chance of a thunderstorm. |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Night |
Becoming partly cloudy overnight. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie, and White Passes
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Slight chance of a thunderstorm. Locally higher snow accumulations Glacier Peak/Mountain Loop Highway near a convergence zone. |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy northwest Cascades with scattered light rain and snow showers. A mix of sun and clouds central-west and southwest Cascades with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Night |
Becoming partly cloudy overnight. |
East slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Mostly cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Slight chance of a thunderstorm. |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers tapering off overnight. |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Mostly cloudy northeast Cascades with scattered light rain and snow showers. Partly to mostly sunny central-east and southeast Cascades with isolated light rain and snow showers mainly near the Cascade crest. |
| Saturday Night |
Becoming mostly clear overnight. |
Mt. Hood Area
| Friday Afternoon - Friday Evening |
Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Slight chance of a thunderstorm. |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Partly to mostly sunny. |
| Saturday Night |
Partly cloudy. |
Issued: 3:12 PM PDT Friday, April 14, 2017
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | 4000' | 3500' | 4500' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 4000' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | Snow Level | 2000' | 2000' | 1500' | ' | ' | 2000' | ' | 2000' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | Snow Level | 4500' | 4500' | 4500' | ' | ' | 4500' | ' | 5500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night |
Snow Level 5500' |
* 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 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | 0 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | 0.50 - 0.75 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | 0.50 - 0.75 | 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: 3:12 PM PDT Friday, April 14, 2017
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 | SW 5 - 15 | WSW 10 - 20 | --- - | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | SW 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | WSW 5 - 15 | --- - | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 | W 0 - 10 | W 0 - 10 | --- - | E 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 5 - 15 | E 0 - 10 | E 5 - 15 | --- - | E 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | --- - |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon | E 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Afternoon | SW 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | SW 5 - 15 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | SW 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | WSW 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon | W 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | --- - |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- - |
| Saturday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon | E 0 - 10 |
| Saturday Night | E 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | WSW 20 - 30 | --- - | W 20 - 30 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | W 10 - 20 | W 20 - 30 | WNW 15 - 25 | --- - | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | W 0 - 10 | W 0 - 10 | SW 0 - 10 | --- - | SW 5 - 15 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | W 10 - 20 |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | W 0 - 10 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | W 0 - 10 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | WSW 20 - 30 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | SW 0 - 10 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | --- - |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | --- - |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Friday Night - Saturday Morning | W 5 - 15 |
| Saturday Afternoon - Saturday Night | SW 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.
Issued: 3:12 PM PDT Friday, April 14, 2017
Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday
Sunday morning should begin mostly sunny except for over Mt. Hood where high clouds should begin to fill in late Saturday night. A weak low pressure system will undercut the ridge over the PNW and spread increasing high level clouds over Washington during the day. A few sprinkles may even begin over Mt. Hood in the afternoon. Sunday should be relatively mild to the weather as of late with freezing levels pushing near or past 7000 feet in most areas. Breezy east winds in the Passes Sunday morning should ease later in the afternoon.
A winter-like jet will become aimed into northern California Monday and Tuesday. An upper low out near 150W will spin frontal systems into our area during this stretch. The first one will be relatively weak with only very light precipitation expected for the Cascades during the day. A stronger frontal system should move through later Monday night and Tuesday.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood
Mostly sunny in the morning becoming partly sunny with increasing high clouds spreading north during the day for the Washington Cascades and Olympics. Partly to mostly cloudy in the morning for Mt. Hood becoming cloudy in the afternoon with a chance of a sprinkle. Milder.
Mostly cloudy north part. Cloudy south part with periods of very light rain and snow.
Cloudy with periods of very light rain and snow Cascades. Light rain and snow Olympics.
Light rain and snow, occasionally moderate Olympics and west slopes of the Cascades.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Freezing Level | 5500' - 6500' | 6500' - 7500' | 7000' - 8000' | |
| Sunday Night - Monday Night | Snow Level | 5500' - 6500' | 5500' - 6500' | 5500' - 6500' | |
| Tuesday | Snow Level | 4500' - 5500' | 4500' - 5500' | 4500' - 5500' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 5500' - 6500' |
| Sunday Night - Monday Night |
Snow Level 5500' - 6500' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 6500' - 7500' |
| Sunday Night - Monday Night |
Snow Level 5500' - 6500' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday |
Freezing Level 7000' - 8000' |
| Sunday Night - Monday Night |
Snow Level 5500' - 6500' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level 4500' - 5500' |
* 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 14, 2017
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