Cold, dry stretch of weather settles over Western WA ahead of New Year after rain Friday
Dec 26, 2025, 12:21 PM | Updated: 5:28 pm
Cold weather arrives in Seattle, western Washington ahead of the New Year. (Photo courtesy of MyNW)
(Photo courtesy of MyNW)
While the weather has calmed, temperatures are only expected to drop in western Washington ahead of the New Year.
Heading into the weekend, highs in Seattle are expected to reach the lower to mid-40s, with winds tapering off to just 10-15 mph.
Rain is not expected in Seattle until Wednesday.
In northwest King County outside of Seattle, cities like Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, and Issaquah are expected to receive rain throughout Friday, totaling approximately a tenth to a quarter of an inch before Saturday.
Rain is expected to clear out until New Year’s Eve, a trend for most of western Washington.
“The next chance of rain doesn’t really return until maybe New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day,” meteorologist Scott Sistek wrote.
Chances of snow further north
According to Sistek, cooler air coming in behind the current cold front will combine with an expected Puget Sound Convergence Zone Friday evening, creating the chance of an hour or two of a rain/snow mix in southern Snohomish County and northern King County.
A Puget Sound Convergence Zone occurs when southern winds collide with northwestern coastal winds, forcing air upward and creating a cloud- and rain-making convection process.
Whatcom County is another region with elevation that may see a brief wet/snow mix.
A Winter Weather Advisory in the mountains is in effect through 10 p.m. Friday.
“Places near sea level likely just stay rainy throughout,” Sistek wrote.
More rain in southern King County, Pierce County
In the lowlands of Pierce and southern King Counties, a chance of rain will stretch from late in the morning to the early afternoon, and then once more before evening. Rainfall should only accumulate roughly a tenth to a quarter of an inch before the weekend.
Wind gusts are expected to reach 25 mph in these areas.
Kitsap County
In eastern Kitsap County, including the cities of Bremerton, Silverdale, and Port Orchard, only about a tenth of an inch of rain is expected Friday.
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