Mountain Weather Forecast
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I Free Winds 9k I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Friday
The Pacific Northwest sits at the western edge of a broad trough Wednesday night. The trough keeps the region very weakly unstable with occasional snow showers for areas near and west of the Cascade Crest. Snow levels hover around 2000-2500 ft. Expect partly cloudy skies for the east slopes of the Cascades.
On Thursday, the trough drifts eastward, opening the door to NNW flow aloft. This will increase W and WNW ridgeline winds into the light to moderate range for the mountain gaps, E slopes of the Cascades, and Mt Hood. Very light snowfall or showers should increase along the west slopes of the Cascades with weak convergence focusing the limited moisture into some narrower bands. Snow levels remain in the 2000-2500 ft range with cooling aloft and increased cloud cover limiting the diurnal warming.
A disturbance approaches Thursday evening with increasing and more widespread light snowfall. Snowfall peaks and shifts from the northern to the southern Cascades overnight through Friday morning. Light snowfall continues into the afternoon for areas south of I-90 with partially clearing skies further north. With snow levels around 2000 ft, dropping to 1500 ft expect 2-6" of snow for the west slopes of the Cascades and a dusting to an inch for the east slopes, with high snow ratios.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of light snow showers. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of light snow showers. |
West North
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with increasing chances of very light snow in the early morning hours. |
| Thursday | Periods of very light snow. Mostly cloudy, then becoming cloudy in the afternoon. |
West Central
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with increasing chances of very light snow in the early morning hours. |
| Thursday | Periods of very light snow. Mostly cloudy, then becoming cloudy in the afternoon. |
West South
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with increasing chances of very light snow in the early morning hours. |
| Thursday | Periods of very light snow. Mostly cloudy, then becoming cloudy in the afternoon. |
Stevens Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow showers. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass. |
| Thursday | Periods of very light snow. Mostly cloudy, then becoming cloudy in the afternoon. Increasing light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass. |
Snoqualmie Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow showers. Light ridgeline and W wind at the Pass. |
| Thursday | Periods of very light snow. Mostly cloudy, then becoming cloudy in the afternoon. Increasing light to moderate ridgeline and light W wind at the Pass. |
East North
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy near the Cascade Crest with mostly clear skies further east. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow flurries near the Cascade Crest. Partial sunshine further east. |
East Central
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy near the Cascade Crest with mostly clear skies further east. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow flurries near the Cascade Crest. Partial sunshine further east. |
East South
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy near the Cascade Crest with mostly clear skies further east. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of snow flurries near the Cascade Crest. Partial sunshine further east. |
Mt. Hood
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of light snow showers. |
| Thursday | Periods of very light snow. Mostly cloudy, then becoming cloudy in the afternoon. |
Issued: 2:05 PM PST Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2500' | 2500' | None' | 3500' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2000' | 2000' | None' | 2500' |
| Thursday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2000' | 2000' | None' | 2500' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2500' | 2500' | None' | 2500' |
| Thursday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2000' | 2000' | None' | 2500' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2000' | 2000' | None' | 2000' |
| Friday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 1500' | 2000' | None' | 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 2000' | 2000' | None' | 2500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 2500' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 2000' |
| Friday Afternoon |
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
| Wednesday Night | Thursday | Thursday Night | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | 0 | 0 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Washington Pass | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | 0 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | 0 | 0 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Friday | LT 0.10 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Friday | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Friday | LT 0.25 |
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: 2:05 PM PST Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | WSW None - None |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W None - None |
| Wednesday Night | W None - None |
| Thursday Morning | W None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | WSW None - None |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | W None - None |
| Wednesday Night | W None - None |
| Thursday Morning | W None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | WSW None - None |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Washington Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening | --- None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None |
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: 2:05 PM PST Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Extended Weather Synopsis for Friday night through Sunday
A short-lived high-pressure moves in Friday night and remains on Saturday. Temperatures begin a moderating trend. A modest system brings increasing light rain and snow to the area with 3000-5000 ft and rising snow levels on Sunday.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Night | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Saturday | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Sunday | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Sunday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Sunday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Saturday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Sunday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
* 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. 7, 2024
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.