Issued: 7:03 AM PST Friday, January 17, 2020
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 Friday & Thursday

A longwave upper level trough over the west coast will continue to produce scattered showers at low snow levels for most areas today. Locally moderate showers for the Mt. Baker area should finally ease off this morning. With upper level ridging moving over the area today, low level moisture should become trapped below crest level preventing a full-scale clearing trend. Sunbreaks will probably pop open for the north Cascades and Olympics, but it's hardly a sure bet. 

A stronger low pressure system will approach from the west tonight with warm frontal moisture reaching the Olympics and Mt. Hood area this evening and snow spreading to all areas by early Saturday morning. Easterly offshore gradients will increase overnight, with strong winds developing through the Cascade Passes and for the western approaches. Strong south winds will also quickly ramp up for the Olymipcs and Mt. Baker area in advance of the cold front. 

The cold front should sweep through the Cascades mid-day with a brief switch to westerly flow Saturday afternoon. As the air mass mixes and relatively milder Pacific air is brought into the region, snow levels will actually rise by the afternoon. Post-frontal showers look light from south of Snoqualmie Pass with more moderate showers for the central and northern Cascades.   

Weather Forecast

Hurricane Ridge
Mt. Baker
Washington Pass and Leavenworth
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass
Mt. Rainier, Crystal and White Pass
Mt. Hood

Snow/Freezing Level (ft)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Washington Pass Leavenworth Stevens Pass Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass Mt. Hood
Friday Morning Snow Level 0' 0' 0' 0' 0' 0' 0' 500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level 500' 0' 0' 0' 0' 0' 500' 1500'
Friday Evening Snow Level 1000' 0' 0' 0' 0' 500' 500' 2000'
Friday Night Snow Level 2500' 500' 0' 0' 0' 500' 500' 2000'
Saturday Morning Snow Level 3000' 500' 0' 0' 0' 500' 1500' 3000'
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
500'
Friday Evening Snow Level
1000'
Friday Night Snow Level
2500'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Mt. Baker Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Friday Evening Snow Level
0'
Friday Night Snow Level
500'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2500'
Washington Pass Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Friday Evening Snow Level
0'
Friday Night Snow Level
0'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
0'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Leavenworth Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Friday Evening Snow Level
0'
Friday Night Snow Level
0'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
0'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Stevens Pass Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Friday Evening Snow Level
0'
Friday Night Snow Level
0'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
0'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
0'
Friday Evening Snow Level
500'
Friday Night Snow Level
500'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
2000'
Mt. Rainier & Crystal Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
0'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
500'
Friday Evening Snow Level
500'
Friday Night Snow Level
500'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
1500'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
3500'
Mt. Hood Elevation
Friday Morning Snow Level
500'
Friday Afternoon Snow Level
1500'
Friday Evening Snow Level
2000'
Friday Night Snow Level
2000'
Saturday Morning Snow Level
3000'
Saturday Afternoon Snow Level
4500'

* 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

Friday Friday Night Thursday
4 am - 4 pm 4 pm - 4 am 4 am - 4 pm
Hurricane Ridge LT 0.10 0.50 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area 0.25 0.50 1.00
Washington Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50
Leavenworth 0 LT 0.10 0.25
Stevens Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25 0.50 - 0.75
Snoqualmie Pass LT 0.10 0.25 0.75 -1.00
Mission Ridge LT 0.10 LT 0.10 LT 0.25
Crystal Mt LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50 0.50
Paradise LT 0.10 0.25 - 0.50 0.75
White Pass LT 0.10 LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows LT 0.25 0.25 - 0.50 0.50
0.25 0.25 - 0.50 0.50 - 0.75
Hurricane Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night 0.50
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Baker Ski Area Precipitation Forecast
Friday 0.25
Friday Night 0.50
Thursday 1.00
Washington Pass Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night LT 0.10
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50
Leavenworth Precipitation Forecast
Friday 0
Friday Night LT 0.10
Thursday 0.25
Stevens Pass Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night LT 0.25
Thursday 0.50 - 0.75
Snoqualmie Pass Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night 0.25
Thursday 0.75 -1.00
Mission Ridge Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night LT 0.10
Thursday LT 0.25
Crystal Mt Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Thursday 0.50
Paradise Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Thursday 0.75
White Pass Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.10
Friday Night LT 0.25
Thursday 0.25 - 0.50
Mt Hood Meadows Precipitation Forecast
Friday LT 0.25
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Thursday 0.50
Timberline Precipitation Forecast
Friday 0.25
Friday Night 0.25 - 0.50
Thursday 0.50 - 0.75

Free Winds at 5000' (mph)

Hurricane Ridge Mt. Baker Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass Mt. Rainier Mt. Hood
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15 SW 5 - 15 W 5 - 15 S 5 - 15 SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 VAR 5 - 15 S 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20 S 10 - 20 SE 10 - 20 SE 10 - 20 S 5 - 15
Friday Night S 25 - 35 SE 15 - 25 SE 15 - 25 SE 15 - 25 S 10 - 20
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30 S 25 - 35 SE 15 - 25 S 20 - 30 S 15 - 25
Hurricane Ridge Elevation
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20
Friday Night S 25 - 35
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Elevation
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening S 10 - 20
Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Saturday Morning S 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon SSW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Elevation
Friday Morning W 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon VAR 5 - 15
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20
Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Saturday Morning SE 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Elevation
Friday Morning S 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20
Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Saturday Morning S 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Hood Elevation
Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening S 5 - 15
Friday Night S 10 - 20
Saturday Morning S 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Hurricane Ridge Direction - Speed
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20
Friday Night S 25 - 35
Saturday Morning SW 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Friday Morning SW 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening S 10 - 20
Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Saturday Morning S 25 - 35
Saturday Afternoon SSW 15 - 25
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Friday Morning W 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon VAR 5 - 15
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20
Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Saturday Morning SE 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Friday Morning S 5 - 15
Friday Afternoon S 10 - 20
Friday Evening SE 10 - 20
Friday Night SE 15 - 25
Saturday Morning S 20 - 30
Saturday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Friday Morning SW 10 - 20
Friday Afternoon SW 10 - 20
Friday Evening S 5 - 15
Friday Night S 10 - 20
Saturday Morning S 15 - 25
Saturday Afternoon SW 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
Friday Morning SW 15 - 25 WSW 15 - 25 W 20 - 30 WSW 20 - 30 WSW 25 - 35
Friday Afternoon SW 15 - 25 SW 15 - 25 SW 20 - 30 SW 20 - 30 SW 35 - 45
Friday Evening SW 10 - 20 SW 10 - 20 WSW 25 - 35 WSW 30 - 40 WSW 30 - 40
Friday Night SW 35 - 45 SW 20 - 30 SW 30 - 40 SW 30 - 40 SW 30 - 40
Saturday Morning SW 40 - 50 SW 35 - 45 SW 50 - 60 SW 50 - 60 SW 50 - 60
Mt. Baker Direction - Speed
Friday Morning SW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Friday Evening SW 10 - 20
Friday Night SW 35 - 45
Saturday Morning SW 40 - 50
Saturday Afternoon SW 30 - 40
Washington Pass Direction - Speed
Friday Morning WSW 15 - 25
Friday Afternoon SW 15 - 25
Friday Evening SW 10 - 20
Friday Night SW 20 - 30
Saturday Morning SW 35 - 45
Saturday Afternoon SW 30 - 40
Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass Direction - Speed
Friday Morning W 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Friday Evening WSW 25 - 35
Friday Night SW 30 - 40
Saturday Morning SW 50 - 60
Saturday Afternoon WSW 35 - 45
Mt. Rainier Direction - Speed
Friday Morning WSW 20 - 30
Friday Afternoon SW 20 - 30
Friday Evening WSW 30 - 40
Friday Night SW 30 - 40
Saturday Morning SW 50 - 60
Saturday Afternoon WSW 30 - 40
Mt. Hood Direction - Speed
Friday Morning WSW 25 - 35
Friday Afternoon SW 35 - 45
Friday Evening WSW 30 - 40
Friday Night SW 30 - 40
Saturday Morning SW 50 - 60
Saturday Afternoon WSW 35 - 45

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 16, 2020

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