MOUNTAIN WEATHER FORECAST

 Stevens Pass Mountain Weather Forecast

Day and Time: Sunday 0700

Current Observations:

24hr Precipitation: 0

Pass temperature: 22

Pass level winds:  5-15 E

Barometer:  1023mb’s and dropping 

Sky: overcast

Radar: The leading edge of a broad band of precipitation is entering the Puget Sound region with a few flurries beginning to fall in the mountains.

The Forecast:  Warming temperatures with snow arriving later this afternoon.  Light snow showers persisting through tomorrow with moderate to heavy snow beginning early Tuesday morning.  Snow totals for the start of Wednesday will be in the 8- 12 range. 

Long Range: After the moderate to heavy snow event on Tuesday there will be a brief dry period Wednesday afternoon/evening with the next storm expected to hit the mountains on Thursday.   Freezing levels will fluctuate between 3500’ and 4500’ as these storms come and go.

  

The Science:  The leading warm front of the approaching triple point storm, is currently entering the Olympic Mountains.  Once the attached cold front passes east of the crest sometime this evening, the flow will shift westerly with some good orographic (convergence) snowfall.

A weak upper-level ridge between storms will shift the precipitation to intermittent snow showers tomorrow afternoon and evening.  Another stronger triple point frontal system is timing out to arrive early Tuesday morning with moderate to heavy snow expected.     

Weather geek speak:  A triple point storm is a warm front, a cold front and an occluded front centered on the same point.    

Values from 4am today through

 4am tomorrow.

Precipitation: Today 24hr water:.25-.5   snow: 3-5 Tomorrow’s 24hr water: .25  snow: 1-2 Trend and Timing: Light snow today with moderate snow beginning after 2pm today and shifting to showers tomorrow.

Temperature: Low: 22    High: 28 Freezing level: +-3500’ Trend and Timing:    Freezing levels will rise to +-3500’ today and bounce between 3500 and 4000’ through early Tuesday morning.

Winds Base: 5-10 E shifting W Ridge Top: 5-15 ESE shifting W Trend and Timing: Surface east flow with SE flow aloft will be overtaken by westerly flow tonight.   Gusty westerly winds can be expected through the day tomorrow.