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
The Pacific Northwest will remain in a relatively stationary pattern on Tuesday and Wednesday with NW flow aloft driven by the gradient between a high pressure offshore and a deep low over Hudson's Bay. The high pressure is moving slightly eastward, toward our region, during the day on Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon, weakening and disorganized cloud signatures are moving toward the Pacific Northwest, but a band of light to moderate precipitation is currently moving over the Olympics and will arrive in the central and north Cascades by later this afternoon.
This moisture is associated with next approaching weak upper level trough which will bring a warm front across the region, scouring out the cooler air in place on Wednesday. Warming will be significant late Tuesday night through Wednesday with most areas of the Cascades seeing a changeover to rain at 5000 ft around 4 AM on Wednesday, with a possible mix with rain at Washington Pass Wednesday early afternoon as warming spreads northward and to higher elevations throughout the day. Light rain and snow will arrive from Snoqualmie pass, northward, slightly increasing toward the Canadian border from Tuesday afternoon through through Wednesday morning.
A drying trend will limit moisture by Wednesday afternoon in all areas except the Mt. Baker area, where some very light rain may linger.
Late Wednesday through Wednesday night, crest-level winds will increase from the moderate range to occasionally strong out ahead of a better organized shortwave poised to impact our region on Thursday. This system will feature a sharp cold front when it arrives.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Tuesday | Light rain or snow at times. |
| Tuesday Night | Increasing light rain or snow, particularly after midnight. |
| Wednesday | Partly cloudy. |
| Wednesday Night | Clouds increasing and lowering. W-SW winds becoming moderate to strong at Hurricane Ridge. |
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
| Tuesday | Increasing light rain or snow from Mt. Rainier northward during the late afternoon hours. |
| Tuesday Night | Light rain and snow continues from Snoqualmie Pass northward. Warming begins overnight. |
| Wednesday | Light rain and high elevation snow showers decreasing or ending from Snoqualmie pass northward, but likely lingering near Mt. Baker in the afternoon. |
| Wednesday Night | Increasing light to to moderate rain or snow in the north by morning. Increasing alpine winds becoming moderate to strong. |
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
| Tuesday | Mostly sunny east of the Cascade crest with clouds spilling over near the crest. Very light rain or snow developing near the crest during the late afternoon hours, north of Mt. Rainier. |
| Tuesday Night | Light rain and snow continues near the Cascade crest, north of Snoqualmie pass with clear weather further east. |
| Wednesday | Light rain or high elevation snow showers decreasing or ending during the morning hours near the Cascade Crest from Snoqualmie pass northward. |
| Wednesday Night | Increasing light to moderate rain or snow in the north by morning. Increasing alpine winds becoming moderate to strong. |
Mt. Hood
| Tuesday | Fair weather with low-level clouds with sun above. Freezing levels continuing to rise. |
| Tuesday Night | Fair weather with mostly clear skies and high freezing levels. |
| Wednesday | Mostly sunny skies. High freezing levels. |
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear with high clouds increasing by morning. |
Issued: 3:01 PM PST Tuesday, February 6, 2018
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 | 5500' | 3500' | 3500' | ' | ' | 3500' | ' | 7500' |
| Tuesday Night | Snow Level | 6500' | 3500' | 3500' | ' | ' | 4000' | ' | 8000' |
| Wednesday Morning | Snow Level | 7000' | 4000' | 4000' | ' | ' | 5000' | ' | 8500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon | Snow Level | 7500' | 5000' | 5500' | ' | ' | 6000' | ' | 9000' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | 7000' | 5500' | 5500' | ' | ' | 6500' | ' | 9000' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level ' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level ' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Wednesday Morning |
Snow Level 8500' |
| Wednesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 9000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 9000' |
* 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 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.25 | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | 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: 3:01 PM PST Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 | WSW 10 - 20 | W 10 - 20 | --- - | W 15 - 25 |
| Tuesday Night | W 20 - 30 | WSW 15 - 25 | W 10 - 20 | --- - | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Morning | W 20 - 30 | WSW 10 - 20 | W 15 - 25 | --- - | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 | W 15 - 25 | W 15 - 25 | --- - | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 30 - 50 | WSW 25 - 35 | W 30 - 40 | --- - | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 30 - 50 |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | W 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Tuesday Night | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Tuesday Night | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Morning | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 30 - 50 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night | WSW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Morning | WSW 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 25 - 35 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 10 - 20 |
| Tuesday Night | W 10 - 20 |
| Wednesday Morning | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Night | W 30 - 40 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Tuesday Night | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | W 15 - 25 |
| Tuesday Night | WNW 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 15 - 25 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 20 - 30 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 25 - 35 |
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 | NW 35 - 50 | NW 35 - 50 | NW 40 - 60 | --- - | NW 30 - 40 |
| Tuesday Night | WNW 35 - 50 | WNW 40 - 60 | NW 40 - 60 | --- - | NW 35 - 50 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 40 - 60 | WNW 45 - 65 | WNW 50 - 70 | --- - | NW 46 - 50 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 45 - 65 | W 55 - 75 | W 60 - 80 | --- - | WNW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 55 - 75 | WSW 60 - 80 | WSW 65 - 85 | --- - | W 40 - 60 |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | NW 35 - 50 |
| Tuesday Night | WNW 35 - 50 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 40 - 60 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 45 - 65 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 55 - 75 |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | NW 35 - 50 |
| Tuesday Night | WNW 40 - 60 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 45 - 65 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 55 - 75 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 60 - 80 |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | NW 40 - 60 |
| Tuesday Night | NW 40 - 60 |
| Wednesday Morning | WNW 50 - 70 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | W 60 - 80 |
| Wednesday Night | WSW 65 - 85 |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Tuesday Night | --- - |
| Wednesday Morning | --- - |
| Wednesday Afternoon | --- - |
| Wednesday Night | --- - |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Afternoon | NW 30 - 40 |
| Tuesday Night | NW 35 - 50 |
| Wednesday Morning | NW 46 - 50 |
| Wednesday Afternoon | WNW 30 - 40 |
| Wednesday Night | W 40 - 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: 3:01 PM PST Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Extended Weather Synopsis for Monday night through Monday
The compact, but better organized shortwave will begin impacting the region during the early morning hours on Thursday, bringing increasing moderate precipitation and moderate to strong westerly crest-level winds during the day Thursday along with a cooling trend. Mid to upper elevation locations are likely to see snow throughout this event, while lower-elevations such Snoqualmie pass probably won't see a changeover to snow until the evening hours on Thursday, shortly after the surface cold front moves across the region.
Winds will begin to decrease Thursday night as flow splits around the Pacific Northwest resulting from a branch of the jetstream carving a trough over the Pacific Northwest, edging out the prevalent high pressure for short-term residence. Post-frontal showers should continue Thursday night through Friday, but a weakening flow will limit moisture on Friday. The persistent high amplitude ridge rebounds offshore, cutting off the flow of weather systems all the way to Alaska.
Flow switches to a light northerly and northeasterly on Friday night, ushering some of the colder air of the season, briefly.
On Saturday the high will move eastward to the near shore waters as the trough moves south to California and the four corners area. Temperatures will rebound to more seasonal norms by the end of the day on Saturday west of the Cascade crest, with quite cold air still in place to the east of the crest.
Extended Weather
Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Snow Level | 3500' - 4500' | 3500' - 4500' | 7500' - 8500' | |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | 2000' - 3000' | 2000' - 3000' | 3000' - 5000' | |
| Friday | Snow Level | 1000' - 2000' | 2000' - 3000' | 2000' - 3000' | |
| Friday Night | Freezing Level | 0' - 1000' | 1000' - 2000' | 1000' - 2000' | |
| Saturday | Freezing Level | 1500' - 3500' | 2500' - 4500' | 3000' - 5000' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Friday |
Snow Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 0' - 1000' |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 1500' - 3500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Snow Level 3500' - 4500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Friday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 2500' - 4500' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Thursday |
Snow Level 7500' - 8500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3000' - 5000' |
| Friday |
Snow Level 2000' - 3000' |
| Friday Night |
Freezing Level 1000' - 2000' |
| Saturday |
Freezing Level 3000' - 5000' |
* 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 Feb 6, 2018
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