Winter Storm Watch for Seattle and all of western WA
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Interesting note...
Bellingham: 28 F w/ NE wind.
Mount Vernon: 33 F w/ NE wind.
Everett: 36 F w/ N wind.
Seattle: 43 F w/ SW wind.
Tacoma/Olympia: 40-44 F w/ S wind.
There's a distinct arctic line...just north of Everett. Looks like it'll make to about North Seattle. Still don't expect alot of snowfall accumulation. Best chance will be Everett North...which sucks for me because I'm in Mukilteo...10 miles SOUTH of Everett. I pray we get 1-2 inches. Next "fringe" shot at snow is Tuesday when an arctic boundary stalls along the Washington/Canada border. After that, a ridge takes shape over the West and the arctic air is shifted east.
Anthony
Bellingham: 28 F w/ NE wind.
Mount Vernon: 33 F w/ NE wind.
Everett: 36 F w/ N wind.
Seattle: 43 F w/ SW wind.
Tacoma/Olympia: 40-44 F w/ S wind.
There's a distinct arctic line...just north of Everett. Looks like it'll make to about North Seattle. Still don't expect alot of snowfall accumulation. Best chance will be Everett North...which sucks for me because I'm in Mukilteo...10 miles SOUTH of Everett. I pray we get 1-2 inches. Next "fringe" shot at snow is Tuesday when an arctic boundary stalls along the Washington/Canada border. After that, a ridge takes shape over the West and the arctic air is shifted east.
Anthony
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Scorpion wrote:I dont understand how you guys are so far north in latitude yet its so hard to get snow in that area. Its snowing in Las Vegas. Theres more chance for it to snow in Georgia than in Seattle. Why is it so warm there?
Scorpion, the key in the Pacific NW is elevation. The major metro areas (Portland, Seattle) are for the most part, less than 150' ft above sea level. My little sis lives in a hilly area just south of Portland...but only 190-200' elevation. Check out the difference in annual average snowfall between Portland Int'l Airport (KPDX) and the Government Camp ranger station located 45 miles east of Portland..
KPDX...elevation 77'
average yrly snowfall: 7"
Government Camp...el. 3980'
average yrly snowfall: 289"
I live just west of Atlanta, GA....my home at an elevation of 1106' ft above sea level. The city of Douglasville sits atop a 1250' ridge. Downtown Atlanta and most of metro Atlanta is at least 1000' feet above sea level. We only average 2-3" of snow a year, but that's because we're so far south.
If I lived in northwestern Oregon at 1100-1200' feet elevation, I'd reasonably expect at least 20" in a normal winter season (based on 17" ave annual snowfall at Sandy, OR....1000' msl). There's also quite a bit more snow and ice every winter in the Columbia Gorge east of Portland along interstate 84 than in Portland itself. I know, because my brother-in-law's uncle and aunt live near Hood River, OR (actually Underwood, WA).
IMO if downtown Portland was as far above sea level as midtown Atlanta, Georgia (1000-1100' msl)....it would recieve average annual snowfall comparable to cities such as Bristol, Tennessee and Asheville, North Carolina....15-20" a year (I base this on nearby locations in western Oregon of similar elevation as metro Atlanta, GA).
PW
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TT-SEA wrote:W13- Kent is the foothills??
You twist eveything.
North Bend is the foothills... 30 miles away. And we will not get snow either.
Kent itself is not considered a foothill, but Kent's East Hill defintely is, with an elevation of 800 feet or so.
Currently 37 F with a dew Point of 23 F, and falling it appears (was 25 F dew point earlier this afternoon).
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TT-SEA wrote:W13- Kent is the foothills??
You twist eveything.
North Bend is the foothills... 30 miles away. And we will not get snow either.
Also, I do believe that you will get some snow tonight, but perhaps not until later on tommorow morning since you are still parked at 41 F, with a rather high dew point.
Update on ym dew point: Just dropped again, not sitting at 22 F Dew Point with 37 F as the current temperature.

Looks like snow for us throughout the night!

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skipnfamily,
Kitsap/Hood Canal will probably see the most snow tonight. With arctic air shoved against the Olympic Mountains and moisture moving in from the southwest, expect 1-3 inches. There's still the possibility arctic air will not make it that far south, but it's a pretty good bet. Here are some predicted snowfall accumulations across Western Washington...NOTE: I haven't been doing well predicting snow lately!! lol.
Bellingham/North Interior: With good arctic outflow and moisture overriding, expect another 1-4 inches. The only drawback may be the moisture source fizzling when it gets that far north.
Port Angeles/Strait of Juan Defuca: Another area with a good shot of snow. With good arctic outflow and a strong southerly flow, expect another 2 inches tonight.
Everett Area: This is where the fun begins. As of now, it looks as if the arctic boundary will make it to North Seattle. With a shallow layer of arctic air and a good moisture source, I expect 1-3 inches...leaning toward the lower end because precip may initially begin as rain/snow until the surface low draws that arctic air down.
Seattle Metro: Another interesting forecast. North Seattle may see wet snow with accumulations of 1 inch. Downtown Seattle will probably see a rain/snow mix...although it may briefly transition to wet snow. If there's any accumulation, it will be away from the main downtown area and the water.
Tacoma: The further south you live, the least chance at snow you'll have. Maybe a rain/snow mix, but I don't think ANY arctic air will make it that far south. There may be a VERY shallow layer...200 feet and below...of cold air, but I expect NO accumulation.
Olympia South: Just plain ol' rain. Maybe next time.
Once again, this is a "fringe" snow event meaning there's the potential for accumulating snow, but all elements must come together. As of now, I don't think all elements will come together, unless you live north of Everett.
Interesting Note: Where's the arctic air? As many noticed, Bellingham/Lynden had 4-8 inches of snow with 60 mph wind gusts. Strong arctic outflow did develop as was anticipated, but instead of travelling south through Puget Sound, it went south and west through the Strait of Juan Defuca. That's why places like Sequim and Port Angeles received 4-10 inches of snow and high temperatures in the upper 20s. Everett was the dividing line between the arctic, canadian air and the mild, pacific air. Here in Mukilteo, 10 miles SOUTH of Everett, we received light snow this morning with a trace of accumulation. Just goes to show the unique terrain of Western Washington.
Anthony
Kitsap/Hood Canal will probably see the most snow tonight. With arctic air shoved against the Olympic Mountains and moisture moving in from the southwest, expect 1-3 inches. There's still the possibility arctic air will not make it that far south, but it's a pretty good bet. Here are some predicted snowfall accumulations across Western Washington...NOTE: I haven't been doing well predicting snow lately!! lol.
Bellingham/North Interior: With good arctic outflow and moisture overriding, expect another 1-4 inches. The only drawback may be the moisture source fizzling when it gets that far north.
Port Angeles/Strait of Juan Defuca: Another area with a good shot of snow. With good arctic outflow and a strong southerly flow, expect another 2 inches tonight.
Everett Area: This is where the fun begins. As of now, it looks as if the arctic boundary will make it to North Seattle. With a shallow layer of arctic air and a good moisture source, I expect 1-3 inches...leaning toward the lower end because precip may initially begin as rain/snow until the surface low draws that arctic air down.
Seattle Metro: Another interesting forecast. North Seattle may see wet snow with accumulations of 1 inch. Downtown Seattle will probably see a rain/snow mix...although it may briefly transition to wet snow. If there's any accumulation, it will be away from the main downtown area and the water.
Tacoma: The further south you live, the least chance at snow you'll have. Maybe a rain/snow mix, but I don't think ANY arctic air will make it that far south. There may be a VERY shallow layer...200 feet and below...of cold air, but I expect NO accumulation.
Olympia South: Just plain ol' rain. Maybe next time.
Once again, this is a "fringe" snow event meaning there's the potential for accumulating snow, but all elements must come together. As of now, I don't think all elements will come together, unless you live north of Everett.
Interesting Note: Where's the arctic air? As many noticed, Bellingham/Lynden had 4-8 inches of snow with 60 mph wind gusts. Strong arctic outflow did develop as was anticipated, but instead of travelling south through Puget Sound, it went south and west through the Strait of Juan Defuca. That's why places like Sequim and Port Angeles received 4-10 inches of snow and high temperatures in the upper 20s. Everett was the dividing line between the arctic, canadian air and the mild, pacific air. Here in Mukilteo, 10 miles SOUTH of Everett, we received light snow this morning with a trace of accumulation. Just goes to show the unique terrain of Western Washington.
Anthony
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Thanks Anthony.....
Time to move up North or somewhere that gets snow more often. I hate this crap of maybe or maybe not snow events.........
31.7 degrees and the wind is more N-NW now(real light) Weird wind for here.. Any idea why and what this means? Obviously its not efecting our temp much

31.7 degrees and the wind is more N-NW now(real light) Weird wind for here.. Any idea why and what this means? Obviously its not efecting our temp much
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Actually at my house I have 37 degrees and a dewpoint of 22 degrees.
Notice the 00Z run of the ETA... the precipitation amounts are lower now. Why?? The air is too dry.
The evil balance. We get the lower dewpoints and now the moisture can't make it. Notice the radar returns keep drying up as they move up from the higher dewpoints to the south.
Notice the 00Z run of the ETA... the precipitation amounts are lower now. Why?? The air is too dry.
The evil balance. We get the lower dewpoints and now the moisture can't make it. Notice the radar returns keep drying up as they move up from the higher dewpoints to the south.
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