MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Snow falls across Western Washington; 2016 enters climate ‘hall of fame’

Jan 1, 2017, 8:18 AM | Updated: 11:17 am

Some Western Washington residents woke up to pockets of snow and ice on New Year’s Day morning. Snow was reported in Bellingham, Granite Falls, Issaquah, Woodinville, Tacoma, and Orting.

Check the latest weather forecast

KIRO 7 reports any residual moisture Sunday night could freeze on roadways for the Monday morning drive.

Following this, we could have three or more days during the week where Seattle doesn’t get above freezing. That hasn’t happened since December 2008. Highs will be in the 20s to low 30s and lows in the teens and 20s through Thursday.

The National Weather Service in Seattle says 2016 will enter the climate record “hall of fame.” Why? December was Seattle’s coldest month since December 2009, but we also experienced the warmest April and November on record. In fact, according to the NWS, Seattle had its second warmest year on record.

The NWS reports 2015, 2016, and 2014 were the warmest years on record — all by large margins — dating back to the 1890s.

To put it into greater perspective, the NWS says that December 2016 averaged only a degree warmer in Seattle than in December 2008. However, there was snow on the ground in Seattle for two consecutive weeks in Seattle that year.

MyNorthwest News

longview plant...

Julia Dallas

35 violations found at Longview plant following tank rupture that killed 11 workers

Three months after a tank rupture killed 11 workers at a Longview plant, Ecology has found 35 environmental violations at the facility.

3 hours ago

polar bear...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Point Defiance Zoo’s polar bear is leaving Tacoma

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s 5-year-old polar bear, Laerke, is moving.

4 hours ago

Bite of Seattle (4)...

Tyrah Majors, KIRO 7 News

One month after Bite of Seattle shooting, King County expands mobile crisis response efforts

One month after a deadly shooting at the Bite of Seattle, investigators are still working to identify a possible third shooter connected to the gunfire.

5 hours ago

Kirkland stolen property...

Jason Sutich

Kirkland police recover more than $30K in stolen property across King County

More than $30,000 in stolen property connected to burglaries and vehicle prowls was recently recovered across several King County cities.

5 hours ago

speed cameras vandalized...

James Lynch

Vandals target Bellevue’s new speed cameras

Just weeks after new speed cameras went up, the Bellevue Police Department said vandals have already started targeting them.

7 hours ago

Seattle fatal collision motorcycle...

MyNorthwest Staff

Motorcyclist killed in fatal hit-and-run collision near Seattle Pacific University

A fatal collision blocked all lanes near 6th Avenue W and W Nickerson Street on Wednesday, and Seattle police are currently investigating the cause.

7 hours ago

Snow falls across Western Washington; 2016 enters climate ‘hall of fame’