Mountain Weather Forecast
Jump to: Weather Forecast I Snow/Freezing Level I Precipitation I Free Winds 5k I I Extended Weather
Weather Synopsis for Wednesday night through Friday
The Forecast Center will be closed on Thu Apr 18th, for a staff meeting. We will not issue a Mountain Weather Forecast on Thursday.
Beautiful spring weather will carry us through the remainder of the work week. You'll find mostly clear skies, generally light winds, and seasonable temperatures.
An exiting trough Wednesday afternoon has just enough atmospheric instability to produce a few popcorn clouds around the region. There's a very slight chance some of these could turn into light showers for areas near and east of the Cascade crest from about I-90 southward. However, any precipitation will be minimal, and most locations, even in these zones, should stay dry. Generally clear skies will allow for a bit of overnight cooling even if freezing levels don't significantly drop.
On Thursday, the Pacific Northwest sits just east of a high pressure ridge in the Pacific. This will bring us cool, dry, northerly flow aloft. Mostly sunny skies will help 5000ft temperatures climb near or just above 40F across the region. Once again, you could encounter small cumulus clouds in the afternoon, but they will be few and far between.
A similar pattern plays out on Thursday night and Friday. Temperatures cool near the surface at night and rebound during the day. Late Friday, a few bands of high clouds could start to push into the Olympics, West South, and Mt Hood zones ahead of our next system. These clouds don't look very thick and shouldn't have a significant impact on daytime warming.
NWAC will issue daily Mountain Weather Forecasts @ 230pm through April 28th.
Weather Forecast
Olympics
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
West North
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
West Central
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
West South
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. A few very isolated showers are possible in the evening. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
Stevens Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear Light E flow developing at pass level. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light E flow at pass level. |
Snoqualmie Pass
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear Light E flow developing at pass level. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light E flow at pass level. |
East North
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
East Central
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. A few very isolated showers are possible in the evening. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
East South
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light winds. A few very isolated showers are possible in the evening. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Light winds. |
Mt. Hood
| Wednesday Night | Mostly clear. Light E winds becoming moderate. |
| Thursday | Mostly sunny, with a few clouds possible in the afternoon. Moderate E winds decreasing slightly. |
Issued: 2:17 PM PST Wednesday, April 17, 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' | 5000' | 5500' | None' | 5000' |
| Wednesday Night | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 3500' | 4000' | None' | 4000' |
| Thursday Morning | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 5500' | 5500' | None' | 5000' |
| Thursday Afternoon | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 6000' | 6000' | None' | 6000' |
| Thursday Evening | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 6000' | 6000' | None' | 6000' |
| Thursday Night | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 4500' | 4500' | None' | 4500' |
| Friday Morning | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 4500' | 4500' | None' | 4500' |
| Friday Afternoon | Snow Level* | None' | None' | None' | None' | 6000' | 6000' | None' | 6500' |
| Hurricane Ridge | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Baker | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Washington Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Leavenworth | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Stevens Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 3500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 5500' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 5500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Rainier & Crystal | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level None' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Evening |
Snow Level 5000' |
| Wednesday Night |
Snow Level 4000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Morning |
Snow Level 5000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Evening |
Snow Level 6000' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Thursday Night |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Morning |
Snow Level 4500' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Friday Afternoon |
Snow Level 6500' (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
| Wednesday Night | Thursday | Thursday Night | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pm - 5 am | 5 am - 5 pm | 5 pm - 5 am | 5 am - 5 pm | |
| Hurricane Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paradise | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Washington Pass | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mission Ridge | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Salmon la Sac - Gallagher Head | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Timberline | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ridge | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt Baker Ski Area | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt. Loop - Barlow Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Stevens Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Crystal Mt | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Paradise | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| White Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Washington Pass | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Tieton River - Darland Mt. | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Mt Hood Meadows | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| Thursday | 0 |
| Thursday Night | 0 |
| Friday | 0 |
| Timberline | Precipitation Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wednesday Night | 0 |
| 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: 2:17 PM PST Wednesday, April 17, 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 | E None - None |
| Wednesday Night | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | E None - None |
| Thursday Morning | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | E None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | --- None - None | E 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 | E None - None |
| Wednesday Night | E None - None |
| Thursday Morning | E None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | E 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 | E None - None |
| Wednesday Night | E None - None |
| Thursday Morning | E None - None |
| Thursday Afternoon | E 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: 2:17 PM PST Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Extended Weather Synopsis for Friday night through Sunday
An elongated trough starts to approach the region on Friday night and Saturday. Clouds and winds will increase ahead of the weak storm. Weather models differ on the exact timing of precipitation, but most locations seem to stay dry until late in the afternoon. Snow levels will fall with the onset of precipitation and should return to near or below Pass elevations by Sunday morning. The storm quickly pushes east and leaves us with clouds and a few spotty showers to wrap up there weekend.
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' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Sunday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Snoqualmie Pass | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Sunday |
Snow Level None' - None' |
| Mt. Hood | Elevation |
|---|---|
| Friday Night |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| Saturday |
Snow Level None' - None' (Easterly Flow *) |
| 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 I Extended Weather
Previous forecast from April 16, 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.