Weather Synopsis for Saturday & Sunday

We're in for a dry start to the weekend as an upper level ridge noses over the area.  The dry weather won't last too long as a developing low pressure system offshore starts to flatten the ridge, allowing increasing clouds into the area later today along with a slight chance of precipitation mainly over the Olympic peninsula but perhaps the northwest Cascades as well before sunset. Expect a mix of mid and high level clouds over the central/north WA Cascades and the Olympics this morning and clearer conditions further south with an uptick in cloud cover during the afternoon. Ridgeline winds will generally be moderate out of the NW but if you're pushing well into the alpine on one of the higher peaks or volcanoes today, expect to experience a stiffer NW wind in these locations. Milder air is already making inroads along the coast and after a cool start this morning, we expect freezing levels to rise into the 4000-6000' this afternoon.   

The low pressure system will spread precipitation over the Olympics and northwest Cascades late tonight and then further inland on Sunday. The west slopes of the Cascades from Hwy2 and northward will see the heaviest precipitation through tomorrow with lighter amounts elsewhere. Snow levels will be a mixed bag around the region on Sunday.  They'll start around 3000-3500' Sunday morning in the Cascade Passes and east slopes of the Cascades and rise to 4000-4500' in the afternoon after a frontal passage. Snow levels will bump around 4000-4500' for the north Cascades. The mildest air will be found over the Olympics and Mt Hood area on Sunday.