315 PM PST FRI FEB 8 2008 WEATHER SYNOPSIS FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY Moisture continues to flow into the Pacific Northwest Friday afternoon as warm frontal moisture extends from the Cascades a thousand miles northwest to a deep low pressure center. The strong flow is coupled with abundant moisture is maintaining heavy precipitation along the west slope areas with the central areas from Stevens to White Pass getting the heaviest precipitation Friday. This pattern should persist into Friday night. The warm front offshore should lift over the area overnight Friday to cause rising freezing levels with the maximum warming early Saturday morning with the freezing levels rising to near 6000 feet in the north and about the same in the south with continued precipitation. This warming and precipitation should initiate a widespread natural avalanche cycle and we may be rising to an extreme danger level. The warm front continues to lift northward during the day Saturday as the ridge of high pressure builds from the south. This should maintain warmer air over the area with precipitation gradually decreasing from the south. The strong westerly flow continues Saturday and this should extend the moderate to heavy precipitation into the early afternoon in the central Washington Cascades and continue the precipitation in the north through Saturday night. A strong cold frontal passage is then expected over the Olympics late Saturday night and the Washington Cascades Sunday morning. This should be accompanied by a period of heavy precipitation at lowering freezing levels. WEATHER FORECAST FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY * OLYMPICS- Friday afternoon and night: Increasing moderate snow becoming moderate to occasionally heavy rain or snow late. Saturday: Light to moderate rain or snow gradually decreasing. Saturday night: Increasing moderate to heavy rain or snow. * WASHINGTON CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST- * CASCADE PASSES, INCLUDING STEVENS, SNOQUALMIE AND WHITE PASSES- Friday afternoon and night: Moderate to heavy snow becoming moderate to heavy rain or snow late. Saturday morning: Moderate to heavy rain or snow. Heaviest in the north and central gradually decreasing in the south. Saturday afternoon and evening: Cloudy in the south. Light to moderate rain or snow central. Moderate to heavy rain or snow north part. Saturday night: Increasing light to moderate rain or snow. * EAST SLOPES WASHINGTON CASCADES- Friday afternoon and night: Light to moderate snow becoming moderate rain or snow late. Saturday morning: Moderate rain or snow gradually decreasing in the south. Saturday afternoon and evening: Cloudy in the south. Light rain or snow central. Moderate rain or snow north part. Saturday night: Increasing light to moderate rain or snow. * MT HOOD AREA- Friday afternoon and night: Moderate snow becoming moderate to occasionally heavy rain or snow late. Saturday morning: Light to moderate rain or snow gradually decreasing. Saturday afternoon and evening: Mostly cloudy. Saturday night: Increasing light to moderate rain or snow late. SNOW LEVELS-CASCADE MTNS 1500 ft N, 2500 ft C, 3500 ft S Fri aft 3000 ft N, 3500 ft C, 5000 ft S Fri night 5000 ft N and S early Sat morn 5000 ft N, 4500 ft C, 5000 ft S late Sat morn 4500 ft N, 5000 ft S Sat aft and eve 3000 ft N, 4000 ft C, 5000 ft S Sat night SNOW LEVELS-OLYMPIC MTNS 2500 ft Fri aft 5000 ft Fri night and Sat morn 4500 ft Sat aft 2500 ft Sat night 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 SAT SUN * HURRICANE RIDGE 1 .75 * MT BAKER 1-1.5 1.5 * WASHINGTON PASS .75 .75-1 * STEVENS PASS 1.5-2 1-1.5 * SNOQUALMIE PASS 2 1-1.5 * MISSION RIDGE .25-.5 .25 * CRYSTAL MTN 1.5 .75-1 * PARADISE 1.5-2 1-1.5 * WHITE PASS 1.5-2 .75 * MT HOOD 1 .5-.75 WINDS IN MILES PER HOUR (MPH) * CASCADE PASS LEVEL WINDS W 10-20 Fri aft and night W 10-20 sat and Sat night * FREE WINDS AT 5000 FT W 30-50 Fri mid day, strongest Mt Hood W 20-30 Fri aft, W 40-50 Mt Hood W-SW 10-20 N, W 25-35 C, W-NW 30-40 S Fri night W-SW 30-40 Sat morn S-SW 25-35 N, SW 30-40 C and S Sat aft SW 35-50 Sat night * FREE WINDS AT 9000 FT W-NW 30-50 Fri aft thru Sat morn W-SW 30-40 Sat aft W-SW 40-60 Sat night EXTENDED WEATHER SYNOPSIS FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A strong cold front is expected to move across the Pacific Northwest early Sunday morning causing strong winds moderate to heavy and rain or snow at cooling temperatures. Another short wave upper level trough is expected to enhance precipitation over the region Sunday afternoon at further lowering freezing levels. Light to moderate snow showers should continue Sunday night and decrease Monday as a ridge of high pressure moves across the area. The next front should bring renewed precipitation at rising freezing levels late Monday night and early Tuesday. The cold front should move across the Cascades early Tuesday morning followed by decreasing orographic showers at lowering freezing levels. EXTENDED FORECAST FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY Sunday morning: Increasing moderate to heavy rain or snow. Sunday: Moderate to occasionally heavy snow showers. Sunday night: Light orographic snow showers. Monday: Cloudy with occasional light snow showers. Monday night: Increasing light to moderate rain or snow late. Tuesday morning: Moderate to heavy rain or snow. Tuesday aft and night: Decreasing light snow showers. * SNOW LEVELS 2-3000 ft N, 45-6000 ft S Sun morn 1-2000 ft N, 2-3000 ft S Sun aft and early Mon 4-5000 ft N, 45-6000 ft S late Mon and early Tue 2-3000 ft N, 40-5500 ft S late Tue