FastCast--Friday, Jan. 19 to Monday, Jan. 22:
After a week-long round of winter weather conditions across most areas west of the Cascades, winter weather is nearly done in Western Washington. Areas of freezing rain are still expected in the Cascades, gaps, and foothills through the weekend, as cold air works its way out of the region. Up to 0.5" of ice is possible in these areas (see below for forecast). Parts of Eastern Washington will continue to see snow and freezing rain, and gap winds will continue for some parts of the foothills. In the lowlands, expect temperatures to return to more typical January norms. On Friday, expect mostly cloudy and drier conditions, with highs in the low to mid 40s and lows in the mid 30s. The foothills may drop below freezing, bringing a potential for icy conditions. Precipitation will move out of the area entirely by midday Friday. Showers are possible late Saturday through Sunday, with the next system slated to move into the area by Monday. Through Monday, expect lowland highs in the mid to upper 40s, with lows in the mid to upper 30s.
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Winter weather is slowly departing Western Washington, but impacts are still expected over the next couple days. Let's take a look at what to expect.
Below is the European model forecast for freezing rain through early Saturday.
This forecast shows 0.1-0.25" of freezing rain in the Cascades, with isolated areas getting up to 0.5". The Portland area could get an additional 0.1-0.4" of ice, especially near the Columbia River Gorge. Areas in the southern half of Eastern WA could get up to 0.1" of freezing rain, mainly on Friday morning.
Snow is also expected for parts of the region through Saturday morning. Below is the HRRR high-resolution forecast.
Expect an additional 4-6" of snow at the passes through Saturday. Eastern Washington will get 1-4" of additional snow, with the most from I-90 southward.
If you are driving across the passes, remember that you will encounter freezing rain on the west side, then snow on the east side. Prepare & drive accordingly, as these hazards can create difficult driving conditions.
With low pressure offshore, gusty gap winds have been blowing for most of Thursday, and will continue through Friday. Below is the HRRR forecast for peak gusts through late Friday.
This forecast shows easterly gusts in the foothills (from Enumclaw to Gold Bar) of 40-50 mph, with lowland areas from Federal Way northward gusting 20-30 mph. Areas of stronger offshore winds will be found along the coast and Strait (gusts 35-45 mph possible).
Rain will continue through early Friday morning for the metro area, clearing the region entirely by midday Friday. Below is the HRRR forecast for rain from Thursday evening to midday Friday.
Expect an additional 0.2-0.4" for the metro area through Friday, with up to 0.6" from Olympia to the coast. The northern coast could get up to 1" of rain through Friday.
Finally, here's a look at forecasted low temperatures on Friday morning from the European model.
This forecast shows lows in the mid 30s, with most areas dropping as low as 32-33°. This means temperatures will be very marginal for re-freezing and ice formation in the lowlands. The foothills will drop to the upper 20s to low 30s, bringing a higher chance of black ice and slick roads. Be aware on Friday morning!
It's been a crazy few days of weather across the region. Extended forecasts show the region returning to a typical January pattern, but the potential for more active weather through the next few weeks remains. Stay tuned!
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