Some snow forecast for mountain passes, but it won’t linger

As layers of crispy orange and yellow leaves blanket sidewalks around Spokane, dustings of snow are nigh for several mountain passes, foreshadowing the cold and wet La Niña forecast to come.

Washington Pass on state Route 20 in the North Cascades will likely see the heaviest snowfall in the coming days, the National Weather Service forecasts. The service expected a 55% chance of 2 inches of snowfall on Sunday and a 100% chance of more than 2 inches Monday, an 80% chance the area could see more than 4 inches and a 50% chance of more than 6 inches. The snow presents a minor risk to travelers, according to the service that issued a winter weather advisory from Sunday evening to late morning Monday.

Other mountain passes could see snow, though the service predicts little to no snow-related risks to drivers.

Stevens Pass, also in the Cascades on U.S. Highway 2, has a 30% chance of seeing more than 2 inches of snowfall Monday, a 20% chance of more than 4 inches and 15% chance of more than 6 inches.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the service forecasts around 4 to 6 inches of snow accumulation that will likely melt by the end of the week, meteorologist Valerie Thaler said.

“It’s not necessarily a pass-closing event yet, the roads are still pretty warm,” Thaler said.

Route 20’s Sherman Pass in northeast Washington has a slight 5% chance of seeing more than 2 inches of snow Monday.

Lookout Pass has a 1% chance of more than 2 inches of snowfall Monday. The Idaho-Montana border, however, is forecast with a 20% chance to see more than 2 inches of snow, and a 5% chance of more than 4 inches.

The service doesn’t forecast snowfall on Snoqualmie Pass in the coming days.

Thaler said the accumulation could make for slushy and slick roads on mountain passes early this week, but above-freezing temperatures will likely keep it from sticking around.

A cold and wet La Niña weather pattern is forecast this year, but not quite here yet, Thaler said.

“After Wednesday and Thursday, it’s looking pretty benign with pretty low chances of precipitation,” Thaler said. “We’re kind of just tiptoeing into winter, I would say.”