Mountain Weather Forecast
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Sunday night through Tuesday
There's no real way to sugarcoat it; conditions are warm, wet, and windy across most of the forecast region this afternoon. A few locations like Mt Baker and Wa Pass have managed to fend off the change over to rain, but that probably won't last the night. An atmospheric river (AR) continues to pump a stream of moisture into the region along with very strong winds, periods of heavy precipitation, and warming temperatures.
The pattern doesn't change much Sunday night. Very strong to extreme winds peak in most areas this evening with significant gusts. Rain and high elevation snow will continue to be heavy at times near and west of the Cascade crest. While showers will make their way to the eastern portions of the forecast area, they become less common and lighter. Warm air continues to move into the region keeping snow levels climbing up the hillsides. This warming will be felt the most in areas that stayed colder on Sunday. Ultimately rain should reach into the upper elevations for most forecast zones.
The AR shifts northward slightly on Monday and begins to weaken. Northern areas should remain stormy, but precipitation rates and winds will be a full notch lower than Sunday. Further south and east there will be a much more marked change with showers steadily decreasing throughout the day. For most locations, the storm will keep skies cloudy, but on the southern edge of the region, near Mt Hood, there could be a few sun breaks in the afternoon. Admittedly, Monday's forecast is tricky. Precipitation depends largely on just how far north the AR moves.
The storm continues to wind down and shift northward Monday night. Showers taper from south to north as a high pressure ridge builds into the Pacific Northwest. By Tuesday morning lingering showers should be confined to near the Canadian border. Even if you encounter a few clouds to start the day, the trend will be for drying and clearing. While it may be nice to say goodbye to the rain, the warm temperatures will hang with us.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Sunday Night | Stormy, particularly in the western Olympics. Periods of heavy rain. Strong and gusty WSW winds decreasing slightly. |
| Monday | Stormy in the northwestern Olympics. Showers eleshwere. Light to moderate WSW winds. |
West North
| Sunday Night | Stormy with periods of heavy precipitation, rising temperatures, and strong and gusty SW winds. |
| Monday | Stormy particularly in the morning. Rain and high elevation snow. Light to moderate SW winds. |
West Central
| Sunday Night | Stormy with periods of heavy precipitation and moderate to strong and gusty WSW winds decreasing slightly. |
| Monday | Stormy, particularly in the morning. Periods of heavy precipitation. Moderate WSW winds decreasing. |
West South
| Sunday Night | Very windy with strong to extreme gusts. Periods of heavy precipitation on the volcanoes with lighter rain elsewhere. |
| Monday | Showers, heaviest on Mt Rainier. Light to moderate WSW winds decreasing. |
Stevens Pass
| Sunday Night | Stormy with periods of heavy precipitation and moderate to strong and gusty W winds. Winds decreasing slightly overnight. |
| Monday | Rain, heaviest in the morning, becoming showery. Moderate but gusty W winds decreasing. |
Snoqualmie Pass
| Sunday Night | Stormy with periods of moderate to heavy rain and very strong and gusty W winds. |
| Monday | Rain in the morning becoming showery in the afternoon. Moderate to strong and gusty W winds decreasing. |
East North
| Sunday Night | Stormy. Periods of heavy precipitation near the crest, with lighter rain and snow further east. Very strong and gusty W winds. |
| Monday | Showers decreasing throughout the day. Moderate to strong and gusty W winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon. |
East Central
| Sunday Night | Stormy. Periods of heavy precipitation near the crest, with lighter rain and snow further east. Very strong W winds with extreme gusts. |
| Monday | Showers decreasing throughout the day. Strong and gusty W winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon. |
East South
| Sunday Night | Rain showers heaviest near the crest. Very strong W winds with extreme gusts. |
| Monday | Showers decreasing throughout the day. Moderate to strong and gusty W winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon. |
Mt. Hood
| Sunday Night | Periods of moderate to heavy rain and high elevation snow. Very strong to extreme winds with significant gusts. |
| Monday | A few showers primarily in the morning, then drying in the afternoon. Sun breaks likely. Moderate to strong and gusty W winds decreasing slightly in the afternoon. |
Issued: 2:22 PM PST Sunday, March 23, 2025
Snow/Freezing Level (ft)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Washington Pass | Leavenworth | Stevens Pass | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier, Crystal & White Pass | Mt. Hood | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 6500' | 7000' | None' | 8000' |
| Sunday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 7000' | 7500' | None' | 8000' |
| Monday Morning | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 7000' | 7500' | None' | 8000' |
| Monday Afternoon | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 7500' | 7500' | None' | 8500' |
| Monday Evening | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 7500' | 7500' | None' | 8000' |
| Monday Night | Snow Level | None' | None' | None' | None' | 7500' | 7500' | None' | 8000' |
| Tuesday Morning | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 8500' | 8500' | None' | 10000' |
| Tuesday Afternoon | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 9500' | 9500' | None' | 10500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 6500' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level 8500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 9500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 7000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 7500' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level 8500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 9500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level None' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Sunday Night |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Monday Morning |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Monday Afternoon |
Snow Level 8500' |
| Monday Evening |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Monday Night |
Snow Level 8000' |
| Tuesday Morning |
Snow Level 10000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Tuesday Afternoon |
Snow Level 10500' (Easterly Flow *) |
* 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
| Sunday Night | Monday | Monday Night | Tuesday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pm - 5 am | 5 am - 5 pm | 5 pm - 5 am | 5 am - 5 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | 0.50 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0.75 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | 1.50 - 2.00 | 0.75 | 0.25 | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | 1.00 - 1.50 | 0.50 - 0.75 | LT 0.25 | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 1.00 | 0.50 | LT 0.25 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Paradise | 0.75 - 1.00 | 0.50 | LT 0.25 | 0 |
| White Pass | 0.50 - 0.75 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Washington Pass | 0.50 | 0.25 | LT 0.25 | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | 0.25 | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | 0.75 | 0.25 | LT 0.10 | 0 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | 0.25 | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0.50 | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Timberline | 0.50 | LT 0.25 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.50 |
| Monday | LT 0.25 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| Monday | 0.75 |
| Monday Night | 0.25 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 1.50 - 2.00 |
| Monday | 0.75 |
| Monday Night | 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 1.00 - 1.50 |
| Monday | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 1.00 |
| Monday | 0.50 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.25 |
| Monday | LT 0.25 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.75 - 1.00 |
| Monday | 0.50 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.50 - 0.75 |
| Monday | 0.25 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.50 |
| Monday | 0.25 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.25 |
| Tuesday | LT 0.10 |
| Mission Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.25 |
| Monday | LT 0.25 |
| Monday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.75 |
| Monday | 0.25 |
| Monday Night | LT 0.10 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.25 |
| Monday | LT 0.25 |
| Monday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.50 |
| Monday | LT 0.25 |
| Monday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 0 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Sunday Night | 0.50 |
| Monday | LT 0.25 |
| Monday Night | 0 |
| Tuesday | 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: 2:22 PM PST Sunday, March 23, 2025
Free Winds at 5000' (mph)
| Hurricane Ridge | Mt. Baker | Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Rainier | Mt. Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | W None - None |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | W None - None |
| Sunday Night | W None - None |
| Monday Morning | W None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | W None - None |
| Hurricane Ridge | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Baker | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Rainier | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | --- None - None |
| Sunday Night | --- None - None |
| Monday Morning | --- None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | --- None - None |
| Mt. Hood | Direction - Speed |
|---|---|
| Sunday Evening | W None - None |
| Sunday Night | W None - None |
| Monday Morning | W None - None |
| Monday Afternoon | W 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: 2:22 PM PST Sunday, March 23, 2025
Extended Weather Synopsis for Tuesday night through Thursday
A high pressure ridge Tuesday night will give us a chance to dry out after the warm and wet AR. Don't get too used to the lack of water falling from the sky. A cut-off low pressure system quickly travels south from the Gulf of Alaska. It tries to lift a warm front into the region from the south. This bit of moisture could combine with our spring-time unstable airmass and produce a few convective storms Wednesday afternoon. There's even a chance for some thunder. With warm air in place, any precipitation during this time frame will probably fall as rain. Fortunately, a cold front swings through as the Low approaches the coast, dropping freezing levels, and bringing fresh snow to most trailheads. How much snow? We'll have to wait and see.
Extended Snow/Freezing Levels
| Mt. Baker | Snoqualmie Pass | Mt. Hood | Easterly Flow * | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Night | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | * |
| Wednesday | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | * |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' | |
| Thursday | Snow Level | None' - None' | None' - None' | None' - None' |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Thursday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Tuesday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Thursday |
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 23, 2025
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.