Issued: 7:37 AM PST Tuesday, February 20, 2018
by Robert Hahn

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

Weather Synopsis for Tuesday & Tuesday

The Pacific Northwest will remain in cold northerly flow aloft for the next several days. Weak disturbances are expected to form on the downstream side of the ridge and progress from north to south over the next few days. These weak disturbances are likely to brush the forecast area at times, increasing cloud cover, and providing periods of light snow with no substantial accumulations.

A passing weak disturbance Tuesday has a weak surface low 300 miles off the coast of Washington on Tuesday morning. The disturbance should cause a period of light snow showers mainly from Mt Rainier south to Mt Hood and mainly during the afternoon and evening hours. Relatively more snow is expected at Mt Hood.

As of Wednesday morning, clouds from this weak disturbance are limiting night-time cooling in the Olympics and Central Cascades southward to Mt. Hood and the cloud extent is not expected to change markedly during the day. The clouds are keeping surface temperatures west of the Cascades slightly warmer than this time Monday morning. However, with clear skies and little to no wind, the northeast Cascades experienced their coldest temperatures of the season last night with a moderate inversion forming above 5500 feet. Mazama is in the ice box this morning at -8F Mazama with Washington Pass at -10F.

Precipitation from Tuesday's weak disturbance should end from north to south Tuesday night with skies clearing before midnight over the Olympics and north to central Cascades, and clearing after midnight in the south Cascades, and in the early morning hours for Mt. Hood.

High clouds will lower and thicken from northwest to southeast as a shortwave open trough approaches on Wednesday, arriving in the late afternoon and evening hours, bringing some light westerly flow out ahead of it. Light snow is likely to fall, mainly over the Olympics Tuesday night. Low-level flow will switch to N-NE Wednesday night as the shortwave trough passes to the south.

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Tuesday Cloudy with clearing in the late afternoon.
Tuesday Night Clear and cold.
Wednesday Clouds lowering and thickening.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Tuesday Periods of light snow developing, mainly from Mt. Rainier southward. Mid-to high clouds in the north and central part.
Tuesday Night Skies becoming clear from north to south.
Wednesday Clouds lowering and thickening.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Tuesday Chance of very light snow southern part. Otherwise mainly mid-to high clouds.
Tuesday Night Skies becoming clear from north to south.
Wednesday Clear in the morning with clouds lowering and thickening.
Mt. Hood
Tuesday Cloudy with periods of light snow developing in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night Light snow decreasing after midnight with clearing possible by morning.
Wednesday Mostly cloudy with mid to high-level clouds.

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Tuesday Morning Snow Level * 0' 0' 0' ' ' 0' ' 0'
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level * 0' 0' 0' ' ' 0' ' 1000'
Tuesday Night Snow Level * 0' 0' 0' ' ' 0' ' 0'
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level * 500' 500' 500' ' ' 500' ' 500'
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level 500' 500' 500' ' ' 500' ' 1000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Washington Pass Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Leavenworth Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Stevens Pass Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
500'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
'
(Easterly Flow *)
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Morning Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Afternoon Snow Level
1000'
(Easterly Flow *)
Tuesday Night Snow Level
0'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Morning Freezing Level
500'
(Easterly Flow *)
Wednesday Afternoon Freezing Level
1000'
Wednesday Night Snow Level
0'
(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

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

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Tuesday Morning E 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 ESE 5 - 15 --- - S 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon NE 5 - 15 NNE 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 --- - VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Night NE 10 - 20 NE 10 - 20 E 5 - 15 --- - E 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning W 10 - 20 SSW 5 - 15 S 5 - 15 --- - ESE 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 --- - W 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Tuesday Morning E 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Tuesday Night NE 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning W 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night NE 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Elevation
Tuesday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon NNE 5 - 15
Tuesday Night NE 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Wednesday Night NE 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Tuesday Morning ESE 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Night E 5 - 15
Wednesday Morning S 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night VAR 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Tuesday Morning S 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Night E 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning ESE 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night ENE 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning E 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon NE 5 - 15
Tuesday Night NE 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning W 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night NE 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Afternoon NNE 5 - 15
Tuesday Night NE 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning SSW 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Wednesday Night NE 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning ESE 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Night E 5 - 15
Wednesday Morning S 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night VAR 0 - 10
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning S 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Tuesday Night E 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning ESE 5 - 15
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night ENE 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
Tuesday Morning NW 5 - 15 WNW 5 - 15 WNW 10 - 20 --- - WNW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon N 5 - 15 NW 5 - 15 W 10 - 20 --- - W 20 - 30
Tuesday Night N 10 - 20 NNW 10 - 20 N 10 - 20 --- - WNW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning W 10 - 20 W 10 - 20 W 15 - 25 --- - NW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 W 15 - 25 --- - W 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon N 5 - 15
Tuesday Night N 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning W 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night NNE 20 - 30
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning WNW 5 - 15
Tuesday Afternoon NW 5 - 15
Tuesday Night NNW 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning W 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Wednesday Night N 20 - 30
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning WNW 10 - 20
Tuesday Afternoon W 10 - 20
Tuesday Night N 10 - 20
Wednesday Morning W 15 - 25
Wednesday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Wednesday Night N 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning --- -
Tuesday Afternoon --- -
Tuesday Night --- -
Wednesday Morning --- -
Wednesday Afternoon --- -
Wednesday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Tuesday Morning WNW 20 - 30
Tuesday Afternoon W 20 - 30
Tuesday Night WNW 15 - 25
Wednesday Morning NW 10 - 20
Wednesday Afternoon W 15 - 25
Wednesday Night N 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 Feb 18, 2018

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