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
Showers will continue to rotate inland from the SW this afternoon and this evening. The quasi-stationary low-pressure system off the WA coast will slowly drift north overnight, and showers will begin to taper off for the southern WA Cascades and Mt Hood with the focus shifting to the Mountain Loop highway and areas further north along the west slopes of the Cascades.
The upper low will drift further offshore tonight while weak upper level ridging builds over the inland NW. We should see some lingering showers over the Olympics and northwest Cascades Thursday morning with dry conditions elsewhere. In the afternoon, skies will partially clear with a mix of sun and clouds. Lingering instability for the Olympics and west side of the Cascades will keep the chance of a stray shower in the forecast. Freezing levels will be a smidge warmer on Thursday, likely topping out in the 4500-5500' range in the afternoon.
After a mostly clear and dry Thursday night, the upper level ridge over the area will begin to flatten as the door begins to creak open towards a pattern change. Forecast models diverge how aggressively we'll shift to WNW flow. Friday should be the mildest day this week, especially for the south WA Cascades and Mt Hood. If the pattern transition occurs quickly, areas further north could see increasing mid-level moisture and alpine WNW winds.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered light rain and snow showers, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon with a slight chance of a shower. |
West North
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered light rain and snow showers, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon with a slight chance of a shower. |
West Central
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered light rain and snow showers, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon with a slight chance of a shower. |
West South
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers becoming light scattered showers after midnight. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning with isolated light rain and snow showers, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon with a slight chance of a shower. |
Stevens Pass
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers becoming light scattered showers after midnight. Light to moderate W winds at Pass level and ridgeline. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered light rain and snow showers, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon with a slight chance of a shower. Light west winds at Pass level and ridgeline. |
Snoqualmie Pass
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers becoming light scattered showers after midnight. Light to moderate W winds at Pass level, moderate at ridgeline. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered light rain and snow showers, becoming partly sunny in the afternoon with a slight chance of a shower. Light west winds at Pass level and ridgeline. |
East North
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers then showers becoming scattered after midnight. Showers heaviest near the Cascades crest.Light to moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the rmorning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. |
East Central
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers then showers becoming scattered after midnight. Showers heaviest near the Cascades crest. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. |
East South
| Wednesday Night | Mostly cloudy with light rain and snow showers then showers becoming scattered after midnight. Showers heaviest near the Cascades crest.Moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. |
Mt. Hood
| Wednesday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rain and snow showers becoming light scattered showers after midnight. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly cloudy in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. |
Issued: 1:54 PM PST Wednesday, February 21, 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' | 4000' | 4000' | None' | 4500' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 3500' | 3500' | None' | 4000' |
| Thursday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 3500' | 3500' | None' | 4500' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 5000' | 5000' | None' | 5500' |
| Thursday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 4000' | 4000' | None' | 6000' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 3500' | 3500' | None' | 6000' |
| Friday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 4500' | 4500' | None' | 6500' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 5500' | 5500' | None' | 7000' |
| 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 4000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 3500' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| 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 4500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 6000' |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 7000' |
* 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 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paradise | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White Pass | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | LT 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Timberline | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Thursday | LT 0.25 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Thursday | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
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: 1:54 PM PST Wednesday, February 21, 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 | WSW None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | WSW None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | SW None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | SW 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 | WSW None - None |
| Wednesday Night | WSW None - None |
| Thursday Morning | SW None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 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 | WSW None - None |
| Wednesday Night | WSW None - None |
| Thursday Morning | SW None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | SW 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: 1:54 PM PST Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Extended Weather Synopsis for Friday night through Sunday
A big storm is on tap for Sunday/Monday leading the way into a pattern change next week. It's the type of shift that has us thinking of new snow amounts in terms of feet instead of inches. There's uncertainty regarding just how much of a rollercoaster we're in for regarding snow levels, but there's increasing confidence we're in for a wet and active period.
Before we get to end of the weekend, look for increasing clouds and WNW ridgeline winds, along with an increasing likelihood of precipitation for the WA Cascades on Saturday as weak disturbances slide down in WNW flow aloft. Similar to the timing discrepancies for Friday, some forecast models begin precipitation on Saturday along the west slopes of the Cascades, while others show an increase in clouds but a slower arrival of precipitation.
Even if we squeak out a mostly dry Saturday, look for precipitation to increase Saturday night. This pattern will feature strong WNW flow with good orographics for the west slopes of the Cascades. While snow levels won't be high, they will likely sit around 3000-4000' for the majority of the weekend, translating into rain for lower trailheads and Passes including Snoqualmie and heavier wet snow at mid-elevations. If Sunday doesn't start stormy it will likely end there as a strong frontal system impacts the area. Behind the front, we'll see much colder air and low snow levels to start next week.
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. 21, 2024
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