MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE OLYMPICS WASHINGTON CASCADES 
AND MT HOOD AREA
NORTHWEST WEATHER AND AVALANCHE CENTER SEATTLE WASHINGTON
1200 PM PST SAT FEB 7 2009

NWAC Program administered by:
USDA-Forest Service
with cooperative funding and support from:
Washington State Department of Transportation
National Weather Service
National Park Service
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Pacific Northwest Ski Area Association
Friends of the Avalanche Center
and other private organizations.

This forecast is prepared primarily for federal, state and 
private snow safety programs in Washington and Northern 
Oregon.

WAZ513-518-519-019-042-501-502-ORZ011-081700-

&&

WEATHER SYNOPSIS FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
A splitting weather system moved to the US west coast on 
Friday. This system is continuing to the Rocky Mountain 
states Saturday while the large weak low moves more slowly 
across California. This system caused some light amounts of 
snow mainly at Mt Hood and some light rain at lower 
elevations. Skies cleared on Friday night over most of the 
Olympics and Cascades by Saturday morning.

A fairly large upper ridge and surface high pressure will 
move to the Northwest Saturday to Sunday morning. This 
should be accompanied by light crest level winds, sunny 
weather and a rise in freezing levels. 

The next splitting weather system should move to the US west 
coast Sunday afternoon through Monday morning. A weakening 
surface low may move into western Washington although 
current models differ quite a bit on the details. This 
system should cause increasing crest level winds, increasing 
mostly light snow, and lowering snow levels in the Olympics 
and Cascades Sunday evening and Sunday night.
&&

WEATHER FORECAST FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

*	OLYMPICS-
Saturday afternoon: Sunny.
Saturday night: Mostly clear.
Sunday morning: Partly sunny.
Sunday afternoon: Increasing clouds.
Sunday evening: Increasing light snow.
Sunday night: Increasing light to occasional moderate 
snow.

*	WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST-STEVENS, 
SNOQUALMIE, WHITE PASSES-
Saturday afternoon: Sunny.
Saturday night: Mostly clear.
Sunday morning: Partly sunny.
Sunday afternoon: Increasing clouds.
Sunday evening: Increasing light snow.
Sunday night: Increasing light to occasional moderate 
snow.

*	EAST SLOPES WASHINGTON CASCADES-
Saturday afternoon: Sunny.
Saturday night: Mostly clear.
Sunday morning: Partly sunny.
Sunday afternoon and evening: Increasing clouds.
Sunday night: Increasing light snow.

*	MT HOOD AREA-
Saturday afternoon: Sunny.
Saturday night: Mostly clear.
Sunday morning: Partly sunny.
Sunday afternoon: Increasing clouds.
Sunday evening: Increasing light snow.
Sunday night: Increasing light to occasional moderate 
snow.
&&

FREEZING LEVELS-CASCADE MTNS
3000 ft N, 5000 ft C, 6000 ft S Sat midday
4000 ft N, 6000 ft C, 7000 ft S Sat aft
4000 ft N, 6000 ft C, 8000 ft S Sat eve
3500 ft N, 5000 ft C, 7000 ft S Sun morn
3000 ft N, 4000 ft C, 5000 ft S Sun midday
SNOW LEVELS
2000 ft N, 3000 ft C, 4000 ft S Sun aft
2000 ft N to S Sun eve
Near sea level N to S Mon morn

FREEZING LEVEL-OLYMPIC MTNS
5000 ft Sat midday
6000 ft Sat aft
5500 ft Sat eve
5000 ft Sun morn
4500 ft Sun midday
SNOW LEVELS
3000 ft Sun aft
1000 ft Sun eve
Near sea level Mon morn

Cascade Snow/Freezing Levels refer to the northern Washington Cascades 
(N) through Mt Hood area (S).  Central Washington Cascade snow levels 
(typically near Snoqualmie Pass) are normally midway between indicated N 
and S levels.  Note that surface snow/freezing levels are common near 
the passes during easterly pass flow and may result in multiple 
snow/freezing levels. 

&&

24 HOUR FORECAST OF PRECIPITATION IN INCHES OF WATER 
EQUIVALENT ENDING AT 4AM
                    	SUN 	    MON

*	HURRICANE RIDGE	0	     .25

*	MT BAKER       	0	     .25
*	WASHINGTON PASS	0	     .25
*	STEVENS PASS   	0	     .25
*	SNOQUALMIE PASS	0	     .25
*	MISSION RIDGE  	0	     .25
*	CRYSTAL MTN    	0	     .25
*	PARADISE       	0	     .25
*	WHITE PASS     	0	     .25
*	MT HOOD        	0	     .25

&&

WINDS IN MILES PER HOUR (MPH)

*	CASCADE PASS LEVEL WINDS
Light variable Sat midday
E 5-10 Sat aft and eve
E 10-20 Sat night and Sun morn
E 5-15 Sun aft and eve

*	FREE WINDS AT 5000 FT
NW 5-15 N, NE 5-15 S Sat
SW 5-15 Sat night
SW 10-20 Sun
SW 15-30 Sun night 

*	FREE WINDS AT 9000 FT
NW 10-20 N, NE 10-20 S Sat
SW 10-20 Sat night
SW 20-30 Sun
SW 30-40 Sun night 
&&

EXTENDED WEATHER SYNOPSIS FOR MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
The next splitting weather system should continue to move 
into the US west coast Monday morning with the weakening 
surface low moving northeast to western Washington. Crest 
level winds should decrease a bit on Monday with mostly 
light snow showers most of the day.

A small upper ridge and weak surface high pressure should 
move to the Northwest Monday night and Tuesday morning. This 
should cause a decrease in clouds with a lingering chance of 
light showers and cool temperatures.

Another low pressure system is currently indicated by the US 
GFS model to move southeast over the Northwest coastal 
waters Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning. The low is 
indicated to reach the Oregon California border area 
Wednesday afternoon. A weak front may move out of the low 
and across the Northwest Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday 
morning. Surface pressure gradients are indicated to remain 
easterly over the Northwest so the effects of the front 
should be weak in the Olympics and Cascades.

EXTENDED FORECAST FOR MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY
Monday: Decreasing mostly light showers mainly near and west 
of the crest.
Monday night to Tuesday morning: Decreasing clouds with 
chance of light snow showers mainly near and west of the 
crest.
Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning: Increasing mostly 
light snow heaviest Olympics and Mt Hood areas.
Wednesday afternoon and night: Decreasing light snow 
showers.

*	SNOW LEVELS
Near sea level N to S Mon to Wed

NWAC weather data and forecasts are also available by calling 
206-526-6677 for Washington, 503-808-2400 for the Mt Hood 
area, or by visiting our Web site at www.nwac.us.

Ferber/Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center

$$