NOAA: 25-45″ of Snow Forecast for Mt. Baker Ski Area, WA Next 4 Days

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Mt. Baker ski area on Feb. 25th, 2013. photo: mt baker
Mt. Baker ski area on Feb. 25th, 2013. photo: mt baker

NOAA is currently forecasting 25-45″ of snow to fall on Mt. Baker ski area in Washington in the next 4 days.  A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Mt. Baker ski area today that is calling for 7 inches of snow above 4,500-feet.

The real snow for Baker gets started tomorrow and really gets cranking on Saturday.  18-28″ of snow are forecast for Mt. Baker ski area on Saturday alone.

Screen Shot 2015-12-03 at 7.34.29 AM

NOAA forecast for Mt. Baker ski area showing 25-45" of snow forecast next 4 days.
NOAA forecast for Mt. Baker ski area showing 25-45″ of snow forecast next 4 days.

Snow levels are forecast to bounce around quite a bit during this storm cycle which will make for some wet snow and some rain at Baker, but it will be great for building up that snow base.  After this storm cycle, Baker should be sitting on an impressive base.  Mt. Baker ski area lives betwen 3,000 and 5,000 feet.

THE SNOW
LEVEL WILL BE AROUND 3000 FT AS THE SYSTEM ARRIVES BUT RISE TO
5000 TO 6000 FT AS IT MOVES THROUGH LATE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT. - NOAA Seattle, WA today
Snow level forecast for Mt. Baker ski area showing
Snow level forecast for Mt. Baker ski area showing 36″ of snow forecast in the next 4 days and snow levels mostly between 3,000 and 4,000 feet.  Snow levels are forecast to be around 4,500 feet on Saturday night.  image:  noaa, today

***

Mt. Baker ski area is currently sitting on a snowpack of 40-60″.

Our fingers are crossed for low snow levels and big snow for Mt. Baker ski area this weekend.

***

Very high probabillity for snow at Mt. Baker ski area on Saturday/Sunday. image: noaa, today
Very high probabillity for snow at Mt. Baker ski area on Saturday/Sunday. image: noaa, today
5-day liquid precipitation forecast map showing 13" of precipitation for the Mt. Baker ski area region. If that was all snow, it would translate to about 13 feet of snow. Snow levels will be high at times, however.
5-day liquid precipitation forecast map showing 13″ of precipitation for the Mt. Baker ski area region. If that was all snow, it would translate to about 13 feet of snow. Snow levels will be high at times, however.  image:  noaa, today

Here is a satellite loop showing the storm moving onshore this morning. Snow is still expected late this afternoon and into the night in the Sierra with slow travel and chain controls likely. A light rain/snow mix is possible in western Nevada this evening.

Posted by US National Weather Service Reno Nevada on Thursday, December 3, 2015

(video of the storms rolling into northern Washington just before sunrise today.)

WINTER STORM WATCH for WASHINGTON:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
417 AM PST THU DEC 3 2015

CASCADES OF WHATCOM AND SKAGIT COUNTIES-
CASCADES OF SNOHOMISH AND KING COUNTIES-
CASCADES OF PIERCE AND LEWIS COUNTIES-

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING...

* ICE ACCUMULATION...UP TO A QUARTER INCH OF FREEZING RAIN IS
  POSSIBLE IN THE PASSES...ESPECIALLY SNOQUALMIE PASS...BY LATE
  THIS AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATION...UP TO 7 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IS LIKELY TODAY
  AND THIS EVENING...MAINLY ABOVE 4500 FEET.

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...THE FREEZING RAIN WILL AFFECT MAINLY
  STEVENS PASS...SNOQUALMIE PASS...AND WHITE PASS.

* TIMING...PRECIPITATION WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY AT TIMES
  TODAY...WITH OCCASIONAL FREEZING RAIN IN THE PASSES.

* SNOW LEVEL...AROUND 3000 TO 4000 FEET IN THE PASSES DUE TO
  EASTERLY WINDS...BUT 5500 TO 7000 FEET OVER THE CASCADES AWAY
  FROM THE PASSES.

* MAIN IMPACT...TRAVEL IN THE PASSES MAY BE DANGEROUS DUE TO ICY
  ROADS.
Current snow depth in Washington & Oregon. Mt. Baker area has the most snow by far.
Current snow depth in Washington & Oregon. Northern Washington  has the most snow by far.  image:  nws, today

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