Issued: 3:43 PM PDT Tuesday, April 10, 2018
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 Tuesday & Saturday

A deep upper level low in the NE Pacific will send a number of Pacific frontal systems our way over the next few days.  A frontal system extending from a deep low pressure system north of Vancouver Island pushed through the Cascades earlier this afternoon. The track of this low pressure system caused a round of locally stronger southerly winds in the Olympics and northwest Cascades. Light rainfall has transitioned to light and scattered showers this afternoon with a slow cooling trend. Snow levels were generally still above 5000 ft as of 3 pm. Locally heavier showers have been seen in the Mt. Baker area. Scattered showers will continue Tuesday night as another Pacific frontal system approaches the area with further cooling expected overnight.  

The next frontal system will slowly move inland on Wednesday, splitting as the Pacific jet drives the bulk of the energy into northern California during the day. This should smear light to occasionally moderate precipitation across the area and make for another cloudy day. Snow levels will slightly rebound from 3500-4000 ft in the morning to the 4000-5000 ft range Wednesday afternoon.  As the cold upper level low moves closer to the Pacific Northwest, colder air will filter into the area overnight as scattered light showers continue. 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Tuesday Afternoon Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers. Windy. Cooling trend.
Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers in the evening, then light rain and snow developing after midnight.
Wednesday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Tuesday Afternoon Cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. Locally heavier showers Mt. Baker area. Windy Mt Baker area. Slow cooling trend.
Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers.
Wednesday Light rain and snow developing during the morning and becoming light to occasionally moderate in the afternoon.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Tuesday Afternoon Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers. Afternoon sunbreaks possible. Slow cooling trend.
Tuesday Night Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated light rain and snow showers.
Wednesday Light rain and snow developing late morning or mid-day.
Mt. Hood
Tuesday Afternoon Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Slow cooling trend.
Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy with scattered light rain and snow showers.
Wednesday Light rain and snow developing and becoming light to moderate in the afternoon.

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' 5000' 5500' ' ' 5500' ' 5500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level 3500' 3500' 4000' ' ' 4000' ' 4000'
Wednesday Morning Snow Level 4000' 3500' 3500' ' ' 3500' ' 4000'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level 3500' 4000' 4500' ' ' 4500' ' 5000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
3500'
Wednesday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
3500'
Wednesday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
4000'
Wednesday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'
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
5500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
4000'
Wednesday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'
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
5500'
Tuesday Night Snow Level
4000'
Wednesday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Wednesday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
2500'

* 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 0 - 0.50 0 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area 1.00 - 1.50 0 - 1.00
Washington Pass LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50
Stevens Pass 0 - 0.50 0 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass 0 - 0.50 0.50 - 0.75
Mission Ridge LT 0.25 LT 0.25
Crystal Mt 0.25 - 0.50 0.50 - 0.75
Paradise 0 - 0.50 0.75 - 1.00
White Pass LT 0.25 0 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows 0 - 0.50 0 - 0.75
0.50 - 0.75 0 - 1.00

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35 SSW 15 - 25 SW 15 - 25 --- - SW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night S 15 - 30 S 15 - 25 SSW 15 - 25 --- - SW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning S 25 - 35 SE 15 - 30 SE 15 - 25 --- - SE 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon SW 10 - 20 S 10 - 20 S 10 - 20 --- - SSW 10 - 20
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night S 15 - 30
Wednesday Morning S 25 - 35
Wednesday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SW 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night S 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning SE 15 - 30
Wednesday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning SE 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning SE 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night S 15 - 30
Wednesday Morning S 25 - 35
Wednesday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night SW 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night S 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning SE 15 - 30
Wednesday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SSW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning SE 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 10 - 20
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Tuesday Night SW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning SE 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon SSW 10 - 20
Wednesday Night WSW 20 - 30

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 SSW 30 - 40 SW 25 - 35 SW 30 - 40 --- - SW 35 - 45
Tuesday Night SSW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 SW 25 - 35 --- - SW 30 - 40
Wednesday Morning S 25 - 35 S 15 - 25 SW 20 - 30 --- - SW 25 - 35
Wednesday Afternoon S 25 - 35 SSE 15 - 25 SW 25 - 40 --- - SW 35 - 50
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SSW 30 - 40
Tuesday Night SSW 20 - 30
Wednesday Morning S 25 - 35
Wednesday Afternoon S 25 - 35
Wednesday Night WSW 15 - 25
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SW 25 - 35
Tuesday Night SW 20 - 30
Wednesday Morning S 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon SSE 15 - 25
Wednesday Night W 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SW 30 - 40
Tuesday Night SW 25 - 35
Wednesday Morning SW 20 - 30
Wednesday Afternoon SW 25 - 40
Wednesday Night WSW 25 - 35
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Afternoon SW 35 - 45
Tuesday Night SW 30 - 40
Wednesday Morning SW 25 - 35
Wednesday Afternoon SW 35 - 50
Wednesday Night W 30 - 40

Extended Weather Synopsis for Saturday night through Saturday

The last in a series of disturbances extending from the NE Pacific upper low will push through on Thursday. With the upper trough overhead, Thursday should be cool and showery, with snowfall accumulating above 3000 ft.  Light to moderate snowfall accumulations are possible along the west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood.

Upper level ridging will try to build over the area Thursday night but will quickly be flattened by warm frontal moisture streaming over the area from a developing low pressure system offshore. Forecast models disagree how much moisture will reach the area Thursday night, but by Friday light to moderate rain and snow should be over Washington State.

The frontal boundary will more of less stay over Washington State through Saturday, with less precipitation and moisture expected further south over Mt. Hood. Snow levels should rise somewhat on Friday and stay around those elevations until the front finally sags south later in the weekend.  

Extended Weather

Olympics, Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood Area
Thursday Cool and cloudy with light rain and snow showers increasing in the afternoon and occasionally becoming moderate west slopes of the Cascades and Mt. Hood. Showers decreasing overnight. Friday Light to moderate rain and snow Olympics and north Cascades tapering to periods of light rain and snow south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood. Slight warming trend. Saturday Light to occasionally moderate rain and snow Olympics and north Cascades tapering to mostly cloudy with periods of light rain and snow south Washington Cascades and Mt. Hood.

Extended Snow/Freezing Levels

Mt. Baker Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Hood Easterly Flow *
Thursday Snow Level 2500' - 3500' 2500' - 3500' 2500' - 3500'
Thursday Night Snow Level 3000' - 4000' 3000' - 4000' 3000' - 4000'
Friday Snow Level 4500' - 5500' 4500' - 5500' 4500' - 5500'
Friday Night Snow Level 4000' - 5000' 4000' - 5000' 5000' - 6000'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Friday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Friday Night Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Saturday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Friday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Friday Night Snow Level
4000' - 5000'
Saturday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Thursday Snow Level
2500' - 3500'
Thursday Night Snow Level
3000' - 4000'
Friday Snow Level
4500' - 5500'
Friday Night Snow Level
5000' - 6000'
Saturday Snow Level
5000' - 6000'

* 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 10, 2018

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