Rainy Pass

Rainy Pass Snow Report

North Cascades · 4,880 ft · Washington

SNOTEL Station 711 · Updated

Rainy Pass Current Snow Conditions

Snow Depth
19"
May 25
vs Average
-21.5"
avg 40.5"
Rank on Date
#17
of 23 seasons
SWE
9.3"
-13.7" vs avg (23.0")

Current Conditions

Recent Snowfall
24 hr
48 hr
72 hr
Snowpack Quality
Cascade Concrete
Extremely dense, very high water content
49% water content
New Snow Density (24 hr)
No new snow in 24 hr

Snow Depth

This season Average Past

NWS Snow Forecast

WPC Expected Snowfall — NWS Seattle CWA
WPC Expected Snowfall — Seattle / North Cascades CWA — updates frequently
Forecast Elevation

Base — 5-Day Forecast

Mazama · 3,600 ft · Open-Meteo
Loading forecast…

Base — Wind

Mazama · 3,600 ft · 48-hour past & forecast

Mid-Mountain — 5-Day Forecast

Rainy Pass · 4,880 ft · Open-Meteo
Loading forecast…

Mid-Mountain — Wind

Rainy Pass · 4,880 ft · 48-hour past & forecast

Summit — 5-Day Forecast

Washington Pass · 5,477 ft · Open-Meteo
Loading forecast…

Summit — Wind

Washington Pass · 5,477 ft · 48-hour past & forecast
How to Read the Wind Data

Wind roses show how often wind blows from each direction. Longer petals mean wind came from that direction more frequently. Color shows speed: blue is calm, darker blue is moderate, red is strong.

The timeline arrows point in the direction the wind is blowing toward — the way snow would drift. If you face the direction the arrow points, the wind is at your back.

Arrow pointing up (north) = wind blowing from south to north. Snow drifts northward.
Red arrow pointing east = strong wind from west. Expect wind-loaded east-facing slopes.

For skiing: Wind-loaded slopes (leeward side) accumulate deeper but less stable snow. The rose helps identify which aspects have been wind-affected and which will be affected next.

Speed guide: Under 15 mph is comfortable on a chairlift. 15–30 mph causes exposed lifts to slow or hold. 30+ mph typically means upper lift closures and dangerous ridgeline conditions.

Current Snow Depth
19"
Average 40.5"
Rank on date #17 / 23
Last snowier 2021–2022
Season Maximum
92"
Peak SWE 34.8"
Date Mar 14
Max rank #16 / 24

Webcams

About Rainy Pass

Snow depth at Rainy Pass is measured daily by SNOTEL station #711, located at Rainy Pass, North Cascades, Washington at an elevation of 4,880 ft. This automated sensor is operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and has been recording continuous snowpack data since 1979.

This page provides current snow depth, snow water equivalent (SWE), 24-, 48-, and 72-hour new snowfall totals, snow density and quality analysis, and historical season rankings spanning 47+ years of records. Snowpack is ranked against every prior season on record, showing where the current winter stands historically for Rainy Pass.

The 5-day weather forecast uses Open-Meteo data at three elevation zones: Mazama (3,600 ft), Rainy Pass (4,880 ft), Washington Pass (5,477 ft). Wind speed, direction, and gust data are shown for both the past 48 hours and the next 48 hours at each elevation, with interactive wind rose visualizations.

Following the Northwest River Forecast Center’s (NWRFC) discontinuation of snow depth and snow density graphs in June 2025, Cascade Snow provides a free, daily-updated alternative with interactive historical charts and comprehensive snowpack analysis for Washington’s Cascade mountains. All data is sourced directly from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) sensors and updated automatically each morning.