MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Slim chance for a white Christmas in Seattle, data shows

Dec 19, 2016, 11:33 AM | Updated: 11:47 am

Seattle snow, Christmas...

There's an approximate 5 percent chance of snow in Seattle on Christmas, according to the National Weather Service. (AP)

(AP)

The chance for an inch or more of snow in the Puget Sound region on Christmas is slim but historically exists, according to the National Weather Service.

The historic probability of at least 1 inch of snow falling during the holiday in the Greater Seattle area is about 10 percent or less. On Monday morning, the Weather Service said Seattle has a 5 percent chance of “seeing a white Christmas” on Dec. 25.

Related: How can you predict the climate in 40 years?

Cities around Seattle are in the same boat. Even the South Sound, which has seen quite a bit of snowfall recently, is in the 0-to-10 percent historic probability of snow.

The National Weather Service’s historic data comes from three-decades worth of averages. The data contains daily and monthly temperature, precipitation, snowfall, and more.

But weather models show it will progressively cool down again as we enter the weekend. The Weather Service says models agree it will become cold enough by the end of the week to snow in the lowlands. However, weather models disagree as to whether there will be any precipitation or not.

Areas of Western Washington have already experienced more snow than they typically do during the winter months. Some lowland cities received their first measurable snow in years during the first week of December.

Photos: December snow around Puget Sound

Scattered snow showers have continued to be reported throughout the region. On Sunday, several counties reported snow, with small amounts of accumulation.

Ditto for Monday. Scattered snow showers with little to no accumulation were reported throughout the region. That snow wasn’t expected to stick around long as things warmed up.

As for the rest of the week, we could see temperatures with highs in the mid- to upper-40s and lows in the mid- to upper- 30s. As we enter the weekend, the lows could drop near freezing.

Check for weather alerts during the holidays

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