Weather
This PNW snow forecast is focused on an ongoing cool, showery Saturday storm that favors Mt. Hood and the Oregon Cascades, with 5-7 inches possible at Timberline before a mostly dry, warmer stretch takes over. Confidence is highest from Saturday afternoon, May 16 through Sunday afternoon, May 17, when the models converge on low snow levels, gusty westerly winds, and modest additional accumulation. Timberline is scheduled for weather-dependent spring operations, Mt. Bachelor, Crystal Mountain, Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, and Mt. Baker are closed for winter, and Whistler has limited late-season Blackcomb terrain for intermediate and advanced riders.
The ongoing storm continues through Saturday afternoon and night, with the models converging on the strongest snow near Mt. Hood and the central Oregon Cascades. Snow levels sit around 3,500-4,500 feet and may dip in heavier showers, so Timberline and the upper Mt. Bachelor terrain stay cold enough for snow while the lower Washington Cascades see mostly scraps. Snow quality is dense to fair, with SLRs around 8-13 near the Oregon snow belt and poorer, wetter ratios around 5-8 for the lower Washington passes. Westerly winds remain the main ski-impact issue, with exposed higher terrain likely to feel gusty and uneven.
By Sunday, the trough pulls away and the snow showers wind down rather than reload. The models remain well aligned on drying by late Sunday, then mostly dry weather Monday through Thursday as ridging builds offshore and temperatures trend warmer. Isolated mountain showers are possible Monday and Tuesday and again around Thursday, but the signal is weak and inconsistent, with little support for meaningful accumulation. Snow levels rise above the pass elevations during any minor showers, so remaining ski weather is more about firm-to-soft spring surfaces, lighter winds, and daytime warming than new snow.
Confidence drops from Friday, May 22 through Tuesday, May 26 as the models diverge on whether late-period potential stays minor or reaches a few inches to around 1 foot on the highest Oregon terrain. The more active solutions bring a modest reload back toward Mt. Hood and Mt. Bachelor around late Sunday into Tuesday, while quieter runs keep the PNW mostly dry and warm with only spotty high-elevation snow. A conservative read favors above-normal temperatures and near-normal precipitation chances, so any late-window snow looks elevation-dependent and focused mainly on the highest Oregon terrain.
PNW Snow Forecast Resort Totals (Sat May 16 – Sun May 17)
- Timberline – 5-7 in
- Mt. Bachelor – 2-3 in
- Stevens Pass – 1 in
- Snoqualmie Pass – 0 in
- Mt. Baker – 0 in
- Crystal Mountain – 0 in
- Whistler – 0 in
