Issued: 7:17 AM PST Saturday, January 13, 2018
by Dennis D'Amico

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k

Weather Synopsis for Saturday & Saturday

A building upper level ridge positioned over the west coast will lift the drippy warm frontal rain currently plaguing the Olympics and Washington Cascades Saturday morning to the north and eventually out of our region. A clearing trend is expected on Saturday from south to north, with more afternoon sunshine expected for Mt. Hood and the south Washington Cascades and more lingering cloud cover closer to the Canadian border and a mix in-between. Snow/freezing levels will rise rapidly on Saturday as a warmer air mass builds over the region.  The clearing trend will continue Saturday night with continued mild and dry conditions.  

The strong upper level ridge will shift into eastern Washington on Sunday and the Pacific Northwest should enjoy a sunny and mild day. However, offshore flow will begin to increase late Saturday night, with cooler easterly flow muting temperatures a bit in the Cascade Passes and for the lower/mid mountain of Mt. Hood on Sunday.  A weak Pacific frontal system will begin to spread mid and high clouds into the region Sunday night.  

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Saturday Cloudy with light rain in the morning. Rain ending by mid-day, then becoming partly sunny in the afternoon. Warming trend.
Saturday Night Becoming mostly clear. Mild.
Sunday Mostly sunny and mild.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Saturday Cloudy with light rain in the morning. Rain ending by mid-day with clearing skies south then central Cascades, becoming mostly cloudy north Cascades in the afternoon. Warming trend.
Saturday Night Becoming mostly clear. Mild.
Sunday Mostly sunny and mild. Slightly cooler Cascade Passes with easterly flow.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Saturday Cloudy with light rain in the morning. Rain ending by late morning with clearing skies southeast then central-east Cascades, becoming partly to mostly cloudy northeast Cascades in the afternoon. Warming trend.
Saturday Night Becoming mostly clear. Mild.
Sunday Mostly sunny and mild.
Mt. Hood
Saturday Mostly cloudy with a chance of light rain in the morning, then becoming mostly sunny. Warming trend.
Saturday Night Mostly clear. Mild.
Sunday Mostly sunny and mild. Slightly cooler lower/mid mountain exposed to easterly flow.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning Snow Level 7500' 5500' 4500' ' ' 7000' ' 8000'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level 9000' 8000' 7500' ' ' 8500' ' 10500'
Saturday Night Freezing Level * 11000' 10000' 9000' ' ' 11000' ' 11500'
Sunday Freezing Level * 11500' 11000' 11000' ' ' 11000' ' 11500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
7500'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
9000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
11500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
11500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
5500'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
8000'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
10000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
7500'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
9000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
7000'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
8500'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
11000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
8000'
Saturday Afternoon Freezing Level
10500'
Saturday Night Freezing Level
11500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Freezing Level
11500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Sunday Night Freezing Level
11500'
(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

Saturday Saturday
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt Baker Ski Area LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Stevens Pass LT 0.25 LT 0.10
Snoqualmie Pass 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.10
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Paradise 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.10
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.10 LT 0.10
LT 0.10 LT 0.10

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20 SW 5 - 15 WSW 15 - 25 --- - W 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15 SW 0 - 10 SW 0 - 10 --- - SE 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSE 0 - 10 E 0 - 10 ESE 0 - 10 --- - SE 10 - 20
Sunday Morning SE 5 - 15 E 0 - 10 ESE 5 - 15 --- - SE 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20 E 0 - 10 ESE 10 - 20 --- - SE 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning SE 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Sunday Night E 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning SW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SW 0 - 10
Saturday Night E 0 - 10
Sunday Morning E 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon E 0 - 10
Sunday Night E 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 0 - 10
Saturday Night ESE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning ESE 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon ESE 10 - 20
Sunday Night ESE 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning W 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Saturday Night SE 10 - 20
Sunday Morning SE 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Sunday Night ESE 15 - 25
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Saturday Night SSE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning SE 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Sunday Night E 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SW 0 - 10
Saturday Night E 0 - 10
Sunday Morning E 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon E 0 - 10
Sunday Night E 0 - 10
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 0 - 10
Saturday Night ESE 0 - 10
Sunday Morning ESE 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon ESE 10 - 20
Sunday Night ESE 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 5 - 15
Saturday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Saturday Night SE 10 - 20
Sunday Morning SE 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SE 5 - 15
Sunday Night ESE 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
Saturday Morning W 25 - 35 W 30 - 40 WSW 30 - 40 --- - WNW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 WSW 10 - 20 --- - SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 5 - 15 WSW 5 - 15 SW 10 - 20 --- - S 5 - 15
Sunday Morning S 5 - 15 SW 0 - 10 SW 5 - 15 --- - S 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20 SW 0 - 10 SW 5 - 15 --- - SW 5 - 15
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 5 - 15
Sunday Morning S 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Sunday Night SE 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning W 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Saturday Night WSW 5 - 15
Sunday Morning SW 0 - 10
Sunday Afternoon SW 0 - 10
Sunday Night SE 10 - 20
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WSW 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 10 - 20
Sunday Morning SW 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night SE 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning WNW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night S 5 - 15
Sunday Morning S 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SW 5 - 15
Sunday Night S 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.

Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k

Previous forecast from Jan 12, 2018

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