The National Weather Service issued an ALL CAPS “Winter Storm Watch” Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 18), warning of 2 to 4-inches of snow starting Thursday evening.
So…Friday *might* be a Snow Day – a nice early start to winter break – but don’t expect a White Christmas, as rain will soon wash whatever white stuff sticks starting late Friday morning.
Here’s the full watch:
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
323 PM PST WED DEC 18 2013
.OVERVIEW…A MOIST WARM FRONT WILL SPREAD PRECIPITATION OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON LATE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL INTO A COOL DRY AIR MASS…WHICH WILL RESULT IN SNOW OVER THE LOWLANDS. WARMER AIR WITH THE WARM FRONT WILL EVENTUALLY CHANGE THE SNOW OVER TO RAIN BY LATE FRIDAY MORNING. THERE IS STILL QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY REGARDING HOW THIS EVENT WILL UNFOLD…PARTICULARLY WITH HOW MUCH SNOW WILL FALL IN WHICH AREAS. IF WARM SOUTH WINDS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN EXPECTED THEN SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE LESS.
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
* HAZARD TYPE…SNOW.
* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS…THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN WASHINGTON FROM THE GREATER PUGET SOUND REGION NORTHWARD.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…UP TO 2 INCHES AROUND TACOMA…2 TO 4 INCHES FROM SEATTLE NORTHWARD. SPOTTY ACCUMULATIONS NEAR 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE EAST AND NORTH OF PUGET SOUND.
* TIMING…A CHANCE OF SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT…THEN SNOW INCREASING LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING TO LATE MORNING ON FRIDAY. THIS WILL IMPACT THE FRIDAY MORNING COMMUTE.
* IMPACTS…TRAVEL MAY BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO SLIPPERY ROADS…ESPECIALLY DURING THE FRIDAY MORNING COMMUTE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE WATCH AREA…CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT…FOOD…WATER…AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
Here’s the most recent 7-day forecast:
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. North wind 9 to 11 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. North wind 5 to 9 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Thursday Night: Snow, mainly after 4am. Low around 30. South wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
Friday: Snow before 10am, then rain likely. High near 44. South southwest wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.
Friday Night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 41. Southwest wind 11 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 47.
Saturday Night: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Sunday: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49.
Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a low around 44.
Monday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.
Monday Night A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.
Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Christmas Day: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.