First ‘traces’ of snow appear in Seattle, Tacoma as western WA braces for icy mornings

Snow was seen accumulating in certain areas of western Washington Tuesday after it was previously reported and spotted in Seattle-area forecasts this week.

According to KIRO 7 meteorlogist Nick Allard, snow is reportedly falling in Tacoma, as of 6:30 a.m. A few hours later, he confirmed that “traces” of snow had been recorded in Seattle.

Seattle had its first “trace” amount of snow of the season. https://t.co/mFg288w6aV

— Nick Allard (@NickAllardKIRO7) February 17, 2026

Sporadic, minor amounts of lowland snow are possible each night through early morning this week, through Friday. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 12 p.m. Tuesday for one to three inches of snow for the Olympic Peninsula and the Hood Canal area.

“Showers will result in rain/snow mix across lowland areas of western Washington, primarily during the overnight/morning hours when temps are coldest,” the National Weather Service Seattle stated. “Snow accumulation is possible under heavier showers.”

Good morning! A wintry mix of precipitation continues this morning across western WA. There are many areas at or below freezing where slick spots may have formed (including roads, bridges, sidewalks). Use caution if venturing out this morning.#wawx pic.twitter.com/Nxtv3zCPCZ

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) February 17, 2026

“If you were to look at the overall pattern this week and rate the snow potential from 1-10, 1 being like ‘every day this lame winter so far’ and 10 being like ‘we’re about to be South Canada and you’re already too late to panic buy bread and milk,’ I’d rate this a 3,” meteorologist Scott Sistek of The Emerald City Weather Blog wrote.

Be careful out there this morning. It is very icy in spots. I slid a bunch in my front-wheel drive on my neighborhood streets.

— Chris Sullivan (@NEWSGUYSULLY) February 17, 2026

The best chance for any accumulating snow in lower elevations is expected to be along the coastal region from north of Hoquiam to the western half of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Inland, higher hills and even a few lower elevations could see some snow on grassy surfaces and rooftops.

Still, no major snow is expected in western Washington.

The Taholah School District announced that classes will start two hours late due to local weather conditions. For up-to-date information regarding school delays and closures, click here.

Much cooler weather pattern

A cool unstable air mass associated with an upper-level low settled in off the coast Monday. This weather system will bring showers to western Washington through Wednesday, when the upper low is expected to ease onshore. Another cool upper-level low-pressure system will follow off the coast later in the week.

The cool air mass will drop snow levels to around 1,000 feet Monday across much of Western Washington, and to around 500 feet the rest of the workweek. The unsettled conditions will produce “hit and miss” showers. The threat of any accumulating snow in the lowlands should be limited to the overnight and morning hours when temperatures reach their daily lows.

Western Washington temperatures this week will be unseasonably cool. The average high temperature is around 50 degrees. Highs this week will struggle to reach the lower to mid-40s, while low temperatures are forecast in the lower to mid-30s, making icy spots on roadways a distinct possibility.

Overall, this week, given the spotty character of the expected showers, precipitation amounts will be rather light. In the lowlands, total amounts from Monday through Friday will likely be less than one inch. In the mountains, where adding to the meager snowpack is needed to reach feet, snowfall will likely fall in the 10-20 inch range.

Latest mountain snowpack status

Over the weekend, the Northwest Avalanche Center updated its snow depth report for the Olympics and Cascades, revealing that the mountain snowpack was still struggling. Snowfall over the weekend was quite welcome, though relatively light, with two to six inches of new snow at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics and from Stevens Pass southward. The exception was Mt. Baker, which received 15 inches of fresh snow over the weekend.

The Avalanche Center report also noted that the overall mountain snowpack ranged from about 35-47% of average for mid-February. Mt. Baker came in at 61% of average.

Wanted: More mountain snow

The latest weather outlook, which extends through the first of March, offers some promise for a recovering mountain snowpack. The outlook reflects good odds on near-average temperatures and wetter-than-average conditions for Western Washington. These conditions should translate to more snow in the mountains.

This week is likely the best chance for any snowfall in the lowlands of Western Washington this winter season.

Contributing: Ted Buehner, KIRO Newsradio

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