MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST

Time and Day: 1000 Saturday

The Snapshot: Dry today with increasing light rain and snow with winds tonight. Windy with partial clearing can be expected tomorrow with temperatures in the low to mid 30’s.  

The Science:  Washington State is caught in between a warm high pressure system to the south and a cooler low pressure system tracking north along the Canadian border.  This will produce a mixed bag of wind, light rain and snow tonight with clearing and drying tomorrow and Monday.

4-7day Long Range:  Cool NW flow wins out on Tuesday with the possibility of few inches of snow on Tuesday/Wednesday.  Another cold air mass settles over the PNW by the end of next week.  A low pressure system developing in the Gulf of Alaska is capturing my attention for a better chance of some significant snow next weekend.  Something to keep an eye on as the week progresses.  

 

Precipitation:   Water by 4am = .25  Snow equivalent = 0-2     Total inches of water by noon tomorrow = <.25 Total inches of snow by noon tomorrow = 0-2   Trends and Timiing:   Light rain with snow mix above 4500’ will arrive after 4pm today.  The precipitation will dry up tomorrow morning with clearing.

Base Temp and Freezing levels:                                        Low: 32   High: 40 Freezing level: +- 4500’   Trend and Timing:   Freezing levels will fluctuate between 4000’ and 5000’ through Monday.

Winds (mph)   Base:  5-15 W Ridge Top: 10-20   Trend and Timing:   Strong westerly flow will bring high ridge top winds tonight and tomorrow.  Winds will begin to diminish and shift NW tomorrow night.