NOAA: Winter Storm Warning for PNW | FINALLY Snow Headed to Cascades: 2-4 FEET Likely

The Pacific Northwest has waited patiently, watching their Californian neighbor and most of the west get pounded with snow, while suffering a record dry November. It looks like that wait is over now though, as serious dumpage is forecast for the Cascades over the next few days, with totals up to 4-FEET forecast.

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
10 AM PST FRIDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Accumulations of 2 to 4 feet above
  4500 feet, 1 to 2 feet between 3500 and 4500 feet, and 3 to 6
  inches between 3000 to 3500 feet.

* WHERE...Cascade mountains of Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, and
  King Counties, including the Mount Baker Ski Area and Stevens
  Pass. Snoqualmie Pass may see snow by Friday morning.

* WHEN...From 1 PM this afternoon to 10 AM PST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible over the
  mountain passes. Backcountry conditions may become dangerous.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow levels will hover between 3500 to 4500
  feet Wednesday afternoon through Thursday before lowering to
  2500 to 3500 feet Thursday night and Friday morning.

A winter storm warning will be in effect from this afternoon through Friday morning, with accumulating snow expected right down to 3,000-feet. Heavy snow will start this afternoon and continue right through to Friday afternoon. Mount Bachelor, OR could see 28″, Mt Hood Meadows, OR 36″, Crystal Mountain, WA might see 24″, and Mt Baker, WA also 24″.

Snow Amounts: Accumulations generally 3-6 inches below 3500 feet
(best chance of accumulation early Friday morning), 1-2 feet
between 3500-4500 feet, and 2-4 feet above 4500 feet. Winter Storm
Warning for the Cascades this afternoon through Friday morning. A
Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the Olympics late this
morning through Thursday evening.

Thursday will be breezy, with gusts up to 40-mph, with temperatures remaining in the low 30s. Expect 12-18″ Thursday morning, a further 18-24″ Friday morning, and maybe another 12″ Saturday morning. Winter has finally arrived in the PNW, let it snow!

GEM Snowfall Total Forecast

Other Info