Seattle winter could be much snowier than usual
Nov 8, 2019, 3:07 PM
Lime Bikes buried in snow in Seattle. (MyNorthwest file photo)
(MyNorthwest file photo)
It may be a bit early for a Seattle winter forecast, but digging out that window scraper might be a good idea in the coming months.
A new report suggests that this winter will be a few inches snowier than usual, with 10 to 12 inches expected on average (which is usually around 5.9 inches), according to the Seattle Weather Blog.
‘Dice may be loaded’ for November snow in Seattle
There is also an expectation of a significant cold spell in December or January, and less rain than normal.
The Seattle Weather Blog says this may be due to the same weather pattern that has made the past few weeks rather dry, and which was responsible for the snow in February of 2019. It may be the result of something called high-latitude blocking, wherein a ridge of high pressure blocks the movement from weather systems and deters them up to Canada. They then pick up colder air and eventually head back to the U.S. with it.
Seattle could be primed for ‘very active winter’ as snow arrives on Mt. Rainier
This sentiment was also recently echoed by UW climate scientist Cliff Mass, who predicted we will be a “very active winter” for Western Washington, spurred by an unusually early “Arctic express.”
