MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST

Stevens Pass Mountain Weather Forecast

Day and Time: Friday 0800

Current Observations:

24hr Precipitation:  Light snow showers with 1” of fresh on the ground.  

Pass temperature: 31

Pass level winds: 0-10 W

Barometer: holding @ 1003mb’s 

Sky: Overcast

Radar: Light scattered snow showers along the western slopes with a small convergence zone formed to the north of Stevens Pass.

The Forecast:  Snow showers today and tomorrow with cooler temperatures moving in.  A cold, dry weather pattern will develop on Sunday.

Long Range:  The cold and dry weather will likely last through at least Friday. Early morning temperatures could dip down to the low teens or even single digits Monday through Thursday.  Watch for a low elevation cloud layer to develop east of the mountains.

  

The Science:  A low pressure cell, currently centered over the Vancouver Island region, will track SSE today.  Unstable westerly flow will spin bands of moisture through the mountains for the next 24hrs as this system moves through. There isn’t a lot of energy associated with this system, but hopefully we can squeeze a few inches of snow out of it before it heads into intermountain west.  

On Sunday, the strengthening high pressure ridge forming out along the coast will allow cold stable air to flow in from the northern interior.  A strong offshore/east flow pressure gradient will form as the cold temperatures settle into the basin.  The ingredients to form an inversion layer east of the mountains and clear conditions at higher elevations will be in place.   

Values from 4am today through

 4am tomorrow.

Precipitation: Today 24hr water:.25   snow: 1-2 Tomorrow’s 24hr water:.25  snow: 1-3 Trend and Timing: Light passing snow showers will continue through tomorrow afternoon.

Temperature: Low:24     High:32 Freezing level: 4000’ – 2500’ Trend and Timing:    Freezing levels will fall tonight with surface temperatures dropping into the low 20s’.

Winds Base: 0-5 W shifting E Ridge Top: 5-10 WSW shifting E Trend and Timing: Westerly flow with shift easterly over the next 12- 24hrs.