Heavy snowfall in the mountains could flow into coastal areas up and down the Puget Sound over the next few days, bringing freezing temperatures and blustery winds, forecasters said over the weekend.
On Saturday, there will be rain and snow in the Cascade Passesthe heaviest precipitation is expected at the end of Sunday.
The National Weather Service in Seattle expects snow to reach 3,000 feet tonight “before falling well below passable levels Sunday morning.” Travelers attempting to cross Snaqualmie, Stevens and White Pass may experience closures.
“This storm is going to be terrible,” the Washington State Department of Transportation said on Twitter at Snoqualmie Pass around 11 a.m. Saturday. Overnight, crews estimated there was more than a foot of snow on the road. The messages urged drivers to be ready with chains, fresh wiper blades and full gas tanks.
You’ll also want a winter coat elsewhere, because from Olympia to Tacoma and Seattle to Bellingham, snow is entirely possible by next Thursday, December 1st.
Expect gusts up to 50 mph tomorrow, with the heaviest near Bellingham and San Juan County, thanks to southerly winds from the northern islands. The rest of the region will experience strong winds with gusts of 20 to 30 mph.
Monday’s humidity and wind will likely turn into a sleet/snow mix with highs in the low 30s. Minimum temperatures are even icier – potentially below 20 degrees at the end of the week.
“Temperatures will drop on Monday and it will be cold until Wednesday. Temperatures could be even colder Thursday and Friday, bringing highs near freezing,” the NWS wrote in its Black Friday evening briefing. “In the lowlands, rain and snow are possible.”
The combination of unusual snow accumulation near sea level and very cold nights can cause problems on roads and school trips. “Freezing is possible at night,” the department noted.
In which areas is it almost certain to snow?
Based on a 50/50 chance, the Kitsap Peninsula and Hood Canal should expect at least an inch between Sunday before sunset and Wednesday afternoon. There is a 60 percent chance of up to 6 inches.
The mainland, from north to Bellingham south through Tacoma and Olympia, has only about a 20 percent chance of that much snow, but a dusting of city streets is likely midweek.
This story was originally published November 26, 2022 at 1:51 p.m.
