No FastCast today…find a current forecast here.
It is now likely that the coldest temperatures in years will impact Western Washington, in addition to some lowland snow.
This blog will examine the upcoming weather threats.
—————————
Lowland Snow:
Rain/snow mix will be possible on Christmas Eve (Friday) and into Christmas Day (Saturday). Temperatures will fall below freezing from north to south on Saturday. From Bellingham northward, temperatures will stay very close to freezing all day, and by Saturday evening/night, temperatures will fall below freezing in the rest of the lowlands. As temperatures fall below freezing, the rain/snow mix will change to snow. Below is the Euro model for snowfall through Monday morning.
Snow totals will vary significantly due to the convective nature of the snow showers, bringing higher totals under heavier showers. Generally, expect 1 to 4 inches of snow in Western Washington, with the most from Snohomish County northward.
One thing to note…any snow that falls once temperatures fall below freezing will stay on the ground through at least Friday due to the extreme cold that is expected.
Snow forecasts and totals will likely change in the next 24 hours, so stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog.
————————————
Extreme Cold:
Very cold Arctic air will move into the Pacific Northwest from Christmas night onward. Frigid low temperatures of 10-18 degrees are now expected in the Lowlands on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings.
Let’s take a look at the accurate European model for low temperatures.
Below are Monday morning’s lows.
The lowlands drop to the upper teens to low 20s, with single digits in the foothills and north of Everett.
Tuesday morning gets even colder.
Lows drop to the mid teens near Puget Sound, and away from the water, temperatures will be in the low teens to upper single digits. North of Everett and in the foothills, temperatures will be in the single digits to potentially near zero.
Similar, slightly colder temperatures are expected on Wednesday morning as well.
Lows in the single digits to low teens are expected in the lowlands, except slightly warmer near Puget Sound.
Daytime highs will struggle to reach 30 degrees, with some forecasts keeping high temperatures below 25-28 degrees on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
“Feels like” temperatures will likely be 5-20 degrees for days on end, potentially colder.
The mountains will be incredibly cold, with lows of 5 to -10 at the passes and in mountain towns like Leavenworth and Cle Elum. Highs in these areas will struggle to reach 20 degrees.
These temperatures are as hazardous, likely even worse, than the June heat wave. It is important to take safety precautions, such as dripping your faucets and protecting at-risk individuals and pets.
Check the link below for cold weather safety from the NWS.
Updates can be found on Twitter and on Michael Snyder’s Pacific Northwest Weather Chasers YouTube channel.
No comments:
Post a Comment