Issued: 8:43 AM PDT Saturday, April 14, 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 Saturday & Thursday

A cool upper trough will drop south from the Gulf of Alaska on Saturday, while out ahead of it, a stationary cold front extends through the Olympics into the north Cascades as of Saturday morning. The location of the stationary front will continue to focus a relatively narrow band of moderate to occasionally heavy precipitation, primarily over the central and south Washington Cascades. Precipitation is likely to decrease slightly during the mid-day hours before a wave rides up along the front, re-intensifying the rain and snow and spreading it back into the Olympics and north Cascades during the afternoon into the evening hours. Mild temperatures will keep snow levels generally above pass level to the south of the frontal boundary, with slightly cooler conditions over the Olympics and northwest Cascades.

The front will push south and east late Saturday night, shifting the precipitation south to the Mt. Hood area, but it will not bring much more than diurnal cooling.

As the upper trough moves into our offshore waters on Sunday, a new surface feature will slide north, extending light to moderate rain and snow showers throughout the Cascades. Expect some convection with cool air aloft as the upper level trough continues moving into the region. 

Sunday night the upper low moves over the Pacific Northwest coast, bringing cooling. A surface low develops east of the Cascades, allowing moderate Westerly winds pass through our region as the surface low slides north into southern British Columbia.

 

Weather Forecast

Olympics
Saturday Filtered sunlight in the morning with clouds increasing and a chance of light rain or snow developing in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Light rain or snow during the evening with mostly high clouds after midnight.
Sunday Filtered sunlight with cumulus clouds building during the afternoon and a chance of a rain or snow shower.
Washington Cascades near and west of the Crest including Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Passes
Saturday Decreasing moderate rain and snow central and south Cascades in the morning, mostly cloudy with some light rain or snow, north. Increasing moderate rain and snow spreading throughout the Cascades in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Moderate to occasionally heavy rain and snow during the evening hours. Becoming light rain and snow showers after midnight.
Sunday Mostly cloudy with high clouds above with light rain and snow spreading from south to north during the afternoon. Heaviest precipitation in the south. Expect some convective precipitation with locally heavy amounts in the afternoon.
East Slopes of the Washington Cascades
Saturday Decreasing light to moderate rain and snow central and south Cascades in the morning, with mostly light rain or snow north. Increasing moderate rain and snow spreading throughout the Cascades in the afternoon.
Saturday Night Moderate rain and snow during the evening hours. Becoming light rain and snow showers mainly near the Cascade crest after midnight.
Sunday Mostly cloudy with high clouds above with light rain and snow spreading from south to north during the afternoon. Heaviest precipitation in the south. Expect some convective precipitation with locally heavy amounts in the afternoon.
Mt. Hood
Saturday Mostly cloudy with a chance of a light rain or snow shower, particularly late in the day.
Saturday Night Light rain and snow.
Sunday Moderate rain and snow. Convection likely during the afternoon.

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 4000' 4000' 5000' ' ' 4000' ' 5000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level 3500' 4000' 5000' ' ' 5000' ' 5500'
Saturday Night Snow Level 2500' 3000' 35000' ' ' 4000' ' 4500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level 2500' 3500' 4500' ' ' 4000' ' 5000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level 3000' 4000' 5000' ' ' 4500' ' 4500'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
2500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
2500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
3000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
3500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3000'
Washington Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
35000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
4500'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3500'
Leavenworth Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Night Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
4000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Sunday Night Snow Level
3000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Saturday Night Snow Level
'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
'
Sunday Night Snow Level
'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
5500'
Saturday Night Snow Level
4500'
Sunday Morning Snow Level
5000'
Sunday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'
Sunday 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

Thursday Thursday
Hurricane Ridge 0.25 - 0.50 LT 0.25
Mt Baker Ski Area 0 - 0.75 0 - 0.50
Washington Pass 0 - 0.50 0.50 - 0.75
Stevens Pass 0.75 - 1.00 0 - 0.50
Snoqualmie Pass 0 - 1.50 0 - 0.50
Mission Ridge LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50
Crystal Mt 0.50 - 0.75 0.25 - 0.50
Paradise 0 - 2.00 0 - 0.75
White Pass 0 - 0.50 0 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.25 0.75 - 1.00
0.25 - 0.50 0 - 1.00

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Saturday Morning SSW 15 - 25 SSW 10 - 20 SSW 15 - 25 --- - SW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20 S 5 - 15 S 10 - 20 --- - SW 20 - 30
Saturday Night WSW 0 - 10 S 0 - 10 W 5 - 15 --- - WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 E 5 - 15 --- - S 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon N 5 - 15 N 5 - 15 VAR 0 - 10 --- - W 5 - 15
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Saturday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night WSW 0 - 10
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon N 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Elevation
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 0 - 10
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon N 5 - 15
Sunday Night WSW 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Saturday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 5 - 15
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Elevation
Saturday Morning SW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Saturday Night WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning S 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Saturday Night WSW 0 - 10
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon N 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SSW 10 - 20
Saturday Afternoon S 5 - 15
Saturday Night S 0 - 10
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon N 5 - 15
Sunday Night WSW 5 - 15
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SSW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Saturday Night W 5 - 15
Sunday Morning E 5 - 15
Sunday Afternoon VAR 0 - 10
Sunday Night W 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Saturday Night WSW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning S 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon W 5 - 15
Sunday Night W 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
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30 SW 30 - 40 SW 20 - 30 --- - SW 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25 WSW 10 - 20 WSW 45 - 65 --- - WSW 30 - 40
Saturday Night SW 15 - 25 SW 20 - 30 SW 25 - 35 --- - SW 30 - 40
Sunday Morning SE 10 - 20 SE 10 - 20 ESE 20 - 30 --- - SW 30 - 40
Sunday Afternoon ESE 15 - 25 SE 15 - 25 SSE 20 - 30 --- - SSW 20 - 30
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon WSW 15 - 25
Saturday Night SW 15 - 25
Sunday Morning SE 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon ESE 15 - 25
Sunday Night W 10 - 20
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon WSW 10 - 20
Saturday Night SW 20 - 30
Sunday Morning SE 10 - 20
Sunday Afternoon SE 15 - 25
Sunday Night WNW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon WSW 45 - 65
Saturday Night SW 25 - 35
Sunday Morning ESE 20 - 30
Sunday Afternoon SSE 20 - 30
Sunday Night W 20 - 30
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning --- -
Saturday Afternoon --- -
Saturday Night --- -
Sunday Morning --- -
Sunday Afternoon --- -
Sunday Night --- -
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Saturday Morning SW 30 - 40
Saturday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Saturday Night SW 30 - 40
Sunday Morning SW 30 - 40
Sunday Afternoon SSW 20 - 30
Sunday Night W 30 - 40

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 Apr 13, 2018

The NWAC program is administered by the USDA-Forest Service and operates from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Seattle. NWAC services are made possible by important collaboration and support from a wide variety of federal, state and private cooperators.