Cold weather, possible snow in the forecast for western Washington
Dec 14, 2022, 3:32 PM | Updated: 4:10 pm
Edmonds/Montlake Terrace still dealing with snow and ice. (Photo by Bill Kaczaraba)
(Photo by Bill Kaczaraba)
Cold weather is likely coming over the weekend and into early next week, but meteorologists are unsure when exactly we can expect any precipitation alongside below-freezing temperatures.
“Regarding the potential for colder weather next week and the possibility of lowland snow, there is currently a high level of uncertainty regarding both the cold and snow, making confidence levels quite low,” according to the National Weather Service.
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This is because it is unclear whether there will be any precipitation accompanying the cold weather, according to KIRO Newsradio Meteorologist Ted Buehner.
“There are two elements are needed for snow in western Washington — cold enough air and moisture. Colder air is anticipated to dive into the region as the weekend unfolds,” Buehner said. “The next question will be – is there moisture to accompany it? At this point, it appears only a limited amount of moisture is expected, but forecast guidance offers a wide range of moisture sources.”
So the end result will either be little, or no snowfall, or some areas could get at least several inches of snow, depending on the amount of moisture in the area, which should be clearer as the week goes on.
Early in the week, there will mainly be dry conditions across the Puget Sound region, with temperatures in the low 40 before the weather turns colder. Over the weekend, temperatures are ranging from highs in the 20s to 30s and lows in the teens and 20s, with some projecting temperatures as low as 5 degrees.
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Very chilly air will drop into Washington from Canada, potentially pushing snow levels to the surface, especially in the north sound. The best chance for lowland snow will be on Monday and Tuesday as a moist cold front dips south through western Washington.
The cold weather will likely continue into next week, with it looking like there’s a decent chance for a white Christmas.
