Weather
Call it the first nudge from winter: a warm-leaning southwest-flow system fires Tuesday night through Thursday night, stacking the first true coats of white on the upper volcanoes of Washington with a taper into Friday. Snow levels mostly hover near 6,100–7,200 feet, winds peak Tuesday night into Wednesday with strong southwest gusts, and the biggest tallies focus on Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier. It’s more of an early-season teaser than a skiable event, but it will flip the visual to winter up high and prime the stoke for the rapidly approaching season.
Tuesday night to Wednesday brings the primary punch with a strong southwesterly flow and the most robust rates. Guidance clusters the heaviest burst overnight into Wednesday, when orographics light up the Washington volcanoes. Mt. Baker leads with a notable Wednesday night max (period highs near 12″), while Mt. Rainier also stacks meaningful totals. Winds run stout, with widespread southwest ridgetop gusts in the 60–90 mph class early, then begin easing late Wednesday.
Wednesday night to Thursday keeps precipitation going, then edges cooler late Thursday as rates trend lighter. Snow levels fluctuate between 6,100 and 6,700 feet through Wednesday night, then rise to 6,500–7,200 feet on Thursday before trending downward late in the week with the back edge. That favors accumulation on the upper mountain while keeping the lower elevations marginal. Oregon’s major volcanoes participate but run lighter overall compared to the Washington peaks.
Thursday night to Friday tapers quickly with lingering showers and much lighter winds. By Thursday night, the system is winding down, confining any final flakes to the highest terrain. Mt. St. Helens carries a nominal Friday period that appears negligible in terms of new accumulation, and the broader event transitions into a cool-down and settling-in phase for the new coat.
Volcano Snowfall Totals
- Mt Baker – 19″-29″ Tue night (09/30)–Thu night (10/02)
- Mt Rainier – 17″-24″ Tue night (09/30)–Thu night (10/02)
- Mt Adams – 13″-18″ Tue night (09/30)–Thu night (10/02)
- Mt St Helens – 12″-16″ Tue night (09/30)–Fri (10/03)
- Glacier Peak – 7″-11″ Tue night (09/30)–Thu night (10/02)
- Mt Hood – 4″-6″ Tue night (09/30)–Thu night (10/02)
