Mountain Weather Forecast
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Friday night through Sunday
5pm update: Fixed typo in the synopsis
With the jet stream directing the storm track into California, the PNW sits in an unseasonably cold unstable air mass with a broad upper level trough overhead. We'll see the trough steer showers inland throughout the weekend. Upper level disturbances emanating from the upper trough will enhance shower activity at times. A cluster of showers associated with one of these upper level shortwave features is rotating north through Washington State this afternoon with more scattered showers to the south. We'll see a quieter period this evening until another shortwave lifts north late tonight through Saturday morning, spreading renewed showers on both sides of the crest. There will also be an uptick in E-SE ridgeline winds in most areas.The Olympics will pick up the most snow in this pattern, but all areas will squeeze several inches of low-density snow out of an otherwise unimpressive precipitation forecast.
By Saturday afternoon, the flow aloft becomes SW and we'll see more scattered showers associated with daytime heating and a cold unstable air mass. Heavier showers are likely to contain graupel. W-SW ridgeline winds will become Saturday afternoon except where they're locally strong near Mt Hood. Showers should wane Saturday night, and spark up to a lesser degree on Sunday as the upper level trough begins to weaken.
We may see a similar pattern on Monday with showers that wax and wane with daytime heating in SW flow. However, a developing frontal system approaching from the SW may impact the Mt Hood area and perhaps the south WA Cascades, or heavier precipitation may stay further south. Throughout this period, snow levels will dip overnight near sea level, and only rebound to 1000-2000' during the day. Temperatures will cool rapidly with elevation with overnight lows in the teens and highs in the low to mid 20s at 5000'. Freezing levels during drier periods and longer stretches of sunshine will be roughly 500-1000' higher than the snow level during showers.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Friday Night | Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers. Heaviest showers southwest slopes of the Olymipcs. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Cloudy with light to moderate snow showers. Heaviest showers southwest slopes of the Olymipcs. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
West North
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing late. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the morning, then mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers in the afternoon. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds |
West Central
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing late. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers in the morning, then showers becoming light to occasionally moderate in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds |
West South
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing in the evening. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers in the morning, then showers becoming light to occasionally moderate in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds |
Stevens Pass
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing late in the evening. Moderate SE Pass level and ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers in the morning, then showers becoming light to occasionally moderate in the afternoon. Moderate WSW Pass level and ridgeline winds |
Snoqualmie Pass
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing late in the evening. Moderate SE Pass level and ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers in the morning, then showers becoming light to occasionally moderate in the afternoon. Moderate WSW Pass level and ridgeline winds |
East North
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers increasing late. Periods of moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers in the morning, then mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers in the afternoon. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
East Central
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing late in the evening. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
East South
| Friday Night | Mostly cloudy with scattered light to occasionally moderate snow showers increasing in the evening. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Mostly cloudy with scattered light snow showers. Moderate ridgeline winds. |
Mt. Hood
| Friday Night | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers becoming scattered after midnight. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds. |
| Saturday | Cloudy with light to occasionally moderate snow showers. Moderate to strong ridgeline winds. |
Issued: 5:00 PM PST Friday, March 1, 2024
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 500' | 500' | None' | 500' |
| Friday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 0' | 0' | None' | 0' |
| Saturday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 500' | 500' | None' | 500' |
| Saturday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 1500' | 1500' | None' | 1500' |
| Saturday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 500' | 500' | None' | 500' |
| Saturday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 0' | 0' | None' | 0' |
| Sunday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 500' | 500' | None' | 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 1500' | 1500' | None' | 1500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Friday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Saturday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
| Saturday Evening |
Snow Level 500' |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level 0' |
| Sunday Morning |
Snow Level 500' |
| Sunday Afternoon |
Snow Level 1500' |
* 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 Night | Saturday | Saturday Night | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | 4 pm - 4 am | 4 am - 4 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | LT 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Crystal Mt | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 |
| Paradise | LT 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | LT 0.10 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.25 | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | 0.25 - 0.50 | 0.25 - 0.50 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.25 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Saturday | LT 0.10 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Sunday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | 0.25 |
| Saturday | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday | LT 0.25 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Friday Night | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Saturday | 0.25 - 0.50 |
| Saturday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Sunday | 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: 5:00 PM PST Friday, March 1, 2024
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | S None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | WSW None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | WSW None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | WSW None - None |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | S None - None |
| Friday Night | WSW None - None |
| Saturday Morning | WSW None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | WSW None - None |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | --- None - None |
| Friday Night | --- None - None |
| Saturday Morning | --- None - None |
| Saturday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Friday Evening | S None - None |
| Friday Night | WSW None - None |
| Saturday Morning | WSW None - None |
| Saturday 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.
Issued: 5:00 PM PST Friday, March 1, 2024
Extended Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Tuesday
During the middle of the next week the trough should finally exit to the east with weak upper level ridging trying to build into the PNW. We'll likely still have to contend with light isolated afternoon showers but it will be a respite until more active weather potentially returns towards the end of next week.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Night | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Monday | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Monday Night | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Tuesday | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Monday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Monday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Tuesday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Monday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Tuesday |
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 I Extended Weather
Previous forecast from March 1, 2024
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