Lavland snow, gossip and freezing rain on the male for parts of western wa by valentine’s day

Seattle – We didn’t end up with a white Christmas this season, but the snow appeared just in time for some other winter holidays instead. We started the latest round of cold air and February snow on Groundhog’s day, and it looks like we will pack it up in time for Valentine’s Day on Friday.

Of course, the two most important ingredients in getting lowlands are snowing cold air and rainfall. Getting the two to hang in place at the same time is the difficult part of the equation! Urpping Canadian air masses usually force clouds and moisture cleans out of the way as they rush across the border, which ensures days at the end of bitter but bright weather. It has certainly been the case too late.

SEER PHOTOS | Lavland snow in western Washington

We just went through the coldest stretch of our winter so far, but there has been a cloud in the sky. However, that is changing within the next 48 hours. Lowland snow in western Washington most often occurs when the modified Arctic air is on its way in, and again when the modified Arctic air is on its way out. That’s because there is usually some rainfall to work with on each side. Over Groundhog’s day weekend, the cold air pushed in, and thanks to a slight disturbance that interacted with the cold air, we had a nice round of lowlands snow.

This week we treat the opposite – the cold air is now firmly rooted, and wet weather is finally controlling back in the region. As the two gather on Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, we see another round of lowlands snow in the northwest Pacific before the cold air is pushed out again.

See also | Tips to avoid frozen tubes and what to do if they are blasting

Most of the rainfall from this incoming storm will steer south of us focusing on Oregon and California. The Willamette Valley must summarize several centimeters of snow, and Portland and Society East into the Columbia River Gorge are likely to fight with their infamous and treacherous freezing rain. From Wednesday night, computer forecast models are aiming for the northern edge of this storm to come into western Washington on Thursday afternoon and reach at least as far north as Thurston County. However, some models bring the snow even further north with flakes in the Seattle area on Friday morning.

While Wednesday contained more bright but freedy weather, the clouds rolled into the region in the evening – a sign that things are finally changing. At Thursday afternoon, a winter combination of snow, gossip and freezing rain is expected to reach the I-5 corridor from Portland to Olympia.

The key to how much of the rainfall falls and accumulates as the lowland snow depends on how long it takes to scour the cold air near the surface. So far, the forecasting forecasting solutions that a track for four inches could pile up in the South Sound and the southwest interior before the switch from frozen to liquid rainfall takes shape on Friday.

See also | Checklist on winter driving: Prepare your vehicle and have these items in your emergency

The more preferred locations for several inches of lowlands of Snow will be in Willapa Hills, Capitol Forest and Foothill communities along Highway 12 such as Morton and MossyRock. ONE Winter weather advisory is in place for this region along with the hood canal and eastern Puget Sound Lowlands at the foot of the cascades. Cold air tends to be caught and stay longer near the canal, so it is often a preferred place for lingering snow.

Cascade Foothill communities are high enough that snow is usually more likely to accumulate there, but we fight eastern Cascadia winds from 30 to 45 in Issaquah, Enumclaw and Monroe; Cascadias are often “snow-eating” so they can serve to prevent the snow from pouring up successfully in East Snohomish, King and Pierce counties this time.

Bottom line: While Northwest Groundhogs saw both shadows and snowflakes a few weeks ago, local cupids may get snow hearts this year.

However, we will finally thaw out this weekend, and return to just ordinary old lowland rainfall, presidents come day.