Weather
A stormy, progressive pattern will keep the Pacific Northwest in a steady feed of snow through Wednesday night (12/24), with the most sustained totals stacking up in the north and the best-quality, lightest snow favoring higher terrain and Whistler. Snow levels stay mostly low enough for all-snow at resort elevations during the core waves, but there are a couple milder pulses that briefly lift snow levels (especially Sunday into early next week), pushing snow quality down to “dense” or even “wet” at lower elevations at times. Winds are a notable part of the story on the Oregon Cascades volcanoes, with several periods of strong ridgetop gusts that could impact comfort and upper-mountain conditions even when it is snowing hard. Looking beyond Christmas, the broader pattern continues to favor additional storminess across the West, including the Pacific Northwest, so expect more opportunities for fresh snow after this window.
Friday night (12/19) through Sunday night (12/21) starts with a productive mountain-snow burst, then transitions into another round of steadier accumulations as the flow trends more southwest and precipitation becomes more organized late Sunday. The Washington Cascades and up into far northwest terrain lead early, while the Oregon Cascades also keep adding snow in waves; snow levels generally run low (often near 1,000–3,000 feet early, then lifting closer to 2,500–4,500 feet at times by Sunday), so the bulk of the precipitation falls as snow at ski elevations. Snow quality during this opening stretch is mostly moderate, with SLRs commonly around 10–13:1 across the Washington and Oregon Cascades, while Whistler trends better with SLRs frequently in the 13–15:1 range for a drier feel. Snoqualmie Pass (open) should see frequent refreshers during this window, though its SLRs dip into the 8–10:1 range at times, so expect periods of heavier, more moisture-laden snow mixed in.
Sunday night (12/21) through Monday night (12/22) brings another meaningful push of snow, with totals continuing to climb across the Cascades while snow levels wobble but remain favorable for snow at most resort elevations. This is a solid continuation storm rather than a single brief shot, and it is when many spots pad their multi-day totals: Mt Baker (status not available) pushes toward 35″–50″ by the end of the full window, while several Washington passes and nearby ski areas build into the 18″–29″ range by Wednesday night (12/24). Whistler (open) is in a great spot for consistent mid-winter snow, ending the stretch around 22″–32″ with generally good snow quality for the Coast Mountains. Winds remain a bigger factor farther south and higher up: Timberline (closed) runs into repeated strong ridgetop winds, with gusts peaking into the 50–70 mph range at times, which can rough up exposed terrain even as snow continues to accumulate.
Tuesday (12/23) through Wednesday night (12/24) is a cooler, showery wrap-up that still adds a few more inches in many places, with occasional wind and fluctuating snow levels but no clean break in the snowfall. The Washington Cascades keep tacking on lighter accumulations, and Mt Bachelor (closed) picks up an additional late-period boost that rounds out its multi-storm total even though one piece of the midweek snow comes in with lower SLRs (including a brief dip to roughly 8:1), hinting at denser snow during that slice. By this point, Whistler’s snow levels trend very low (often around 500–900 feet), supporting continued high-quality snowfall with SLRs frequently above 14:1. Beyond this forecast window, the broader late-December pattern continues to lean active and wetter than normal in the Pacific Northwest, so odds stay elevated for more storms and additional snow after Christmas.
Resort Forecast Totals
- Mt Baker – 35″–50″ Fri night (12/19) – Wed night (12/24)
- Whistler – 22″–32″ Fri night (12/19) – Wed night (12/24)
- Snoqualmie Pass – 21″–29″ Fri night (12/19) – Wed night (12/24)
- Stevens Pass – 20″–28″ Fri night (12/19) – Wed night (12/24)
- Timberline – 19″–27″ Fri night (12/19) – Wed night (12/24)
- Crystal Mountain – 18″–26″ Fri night (12/19) – Wed night (12/24)
- Mt Bachelor – 9″–13″ total (7″–10″ Sat night (12/20) – Mon night (12/22) + 2″–4″ Tue (12/23) – Wed night (12/24))
