Snow coming to the Seattle area ... We need it!

[Squirrel99]

In what has become almost a joke so far this season... weather forecasters are calling for "heavy snow" up to "1 foot" for the Cascades.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but up to a foot so far this season has meant 3"-4" for most the areas, with Baker at least coming through as predicted. And usually 'up to a foot of snow' is not usually considered a 'big dumping'

Any wayse, in this dismal PNW season, we'll take anything...

"A new cold front will move through British Columbia and into Western Washington Tuesday. Rain showers should develop ahead of the front Tuesday afternoon, then change into snow by evening. You're most likely to get snow if you live north of Seattle with the heaviest snow falling in a covergence zone forecast to form over Snohomish County. The Cascades will also get a big dumping of snow with up to a foot of new powder coming by Wednesday."

[Duder]

The NWAC doesn't predict quite that extensive of a dump....but I'm with you Squirrel, I hope it comes to fruition.

[Squirrel99]

That was what KOMO's latest forecast was quoting.



yeah, we could really use a few feet of snow
road tripping for the pow is getting $$$

EDIT... It's now posted on the WSDOT website. Ullr, please do not forsake us this time... we have waited so ever patiently, taking a serious one for the team this season.

SNOW LIKELY. SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 3 INCHES. SNOW LEVEL 500 FEET. AFTERNOON PASS TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 20S. TURNING BREEZY. WEST WIND IN THE PASSES INCREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT
WINDY...SNOW. SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 9 TO 15 INCHES. WEST WIND IN THE PASSES 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

Also from KIRO...
Heavy snow will finally fall in the mountains with up to a foot possible Tuesday though Wednesday. All in all Wednesday is looking like a tricky travel day so stay tuned to KIRO 7 for the latest forecast.

[dubu]

yea and look at the weekend .. (we have another high pressure ridge building up)

yey..

this winter truly blows.. although I am somehow managing a 4/7 boot to knee-deep pow percentage..

another thing that sucks is that I moved to Issaquah and was hoping for nice short rides to Alpental.. but nooo I get to get up at 5am to drive to baker..

[midget]

nope, the only thing coming to town is Z-bo

[Squirrel99]

Even the local weather dudes sympathize with us...

"With all that wind crashing into the Cascades, then ramping up the hills and squeezing out their moisture, skiers finally -- FINALLY -- FINALLY! -- have a recipe for a good ol' fashioned mountain snow storm. A WINTER STORM WATCH is in effect for the mountains too for Tuesday night. Here, we're looking for at least a foot of new snow. But on the flip side, this will make pass travel dangerous -- especially Snoqualmie and Stevens. With the heavy snows comes the strong winds and blowing snow, so Tuesday night is not a good time to be crossing the mountains."

[Shin-to-Win]

I stashed some Alta pow in the pocket of my ski pants yesterday and brought it back to Seattle . . . . been releasing that moisture into the PACNW atmosphere ever since. It's gonna happen.

[PeachesN'Cream]

Tuesday night is not a good time to be crossing the mountains

perfect!!! just in time to roll out of seattle and up to red. hope we beat this f-er up the hill.

i should put a sign on the back of the sube that says "follow me to the red comp"

[The AD]

Bump for a nice looking forecast this morning:

HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE CASCADES ARE NOW JUST ABOUT 24 HOURS AWAY...SO WILL UPGRADE THE WINTER STORM WATCH TO A WARNING WITH THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. THE PREVAILING WEST-NORTHWEST FLOW WITH THIS EVENT IS THE MOST FAVORABLE DIRECTION FOR PILING SNOW UP IN THE PASSES...A BOON FOR SKIERS BUT A BUST FOR TRAVELERS. WHAT`S GOOD FOR BOTH IS THAT THIS SHOULD BE A PRETTY POWDERY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS CONSIDERING HOW COLD THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. WON`T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FALLING ON CASCADE CONCRETE IS YOU`RE UP SKIING. THIS WILL BE A WINDY FRONT...SO BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE POWDERY SNOW WILL BE A CONCERN.

[Squirrel99]

Bump for a nice looking forecast this morning:

HEAVY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE CASCADES ARE NOW JUST ABOUT 24 HOURS AWAY...WHAT`S GOOD FOR BOTH IS THAT THIS SHOULD BE A PRETTY POWDERY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS CONSIDERING HOW COLD THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN OVER THE MOUNTAINS. WON`T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FALLING ON CASCADE CONCRETE IS YOU`RE UP SKIING. THIS WILL BE A WINDY FRONT...SO BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF THE POWDERY SNOW WILL BE A CONCERN.

Love the Perfect forecast, except we have no BASE
I can't believe I'm wishing for some good ol' cascade concrete!

Definitely looks like we are going to keep this continental snowpack for the year as opposed to returning to the regular maritime.

But whatever, we need the snow so here's to squeezing out every bit of moisture from this storm and covering up those weeds the patrol has been whacking up at the Summit for the past few weeks

[grrrr]

I really hope all the Seattle area mountaisn get pounded so the crowds will slack off at Baker at bit. Even the BC is getting crowded.

[dubu]

yea I hear you I think this is the first year that I am wishing for higher temps and wetter snow in the middle of January..

[fubar]

With all due respect, could all of you kindly STFU!!!!

This kind of talk is only going to jinx us. Ok, everyone, say it with me: there is no storm coming, the weather man is wrong, it is not going to snow.

pssst... I am crossing my fingers... all of them.

[PNWbrit]

With all due respect, could all of you kindly STFU!!!!

This kind of talk is only going to jinx us. Ok, everyone, say it with me: there is no storm coming, the weather man is wrong, it is not going to snow.

pssst... I am crossing my fingers... all of them.

need to add that I am also unlikely to call in sick over the next few days.....

[Squirrel99]

Let's hope this is the start of a better 2005 for WA....

Latest from KOMO4 News:

One final note: Skiers and snowboarders, you're FINALLY getting some snow up there. A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for the Cascades as well -- especially between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass -- for up to a foot to 18" of snow by Wednesday afternoon. With the gusty winds, we'll also have blowing snow, so not a good idea to be trying to cross the passes tonight or tomorrow morning. If you can, wait until later Wednesday -- although there could be intermittent avalanche control closures.

[KQ]

It's so freakin' warm out this morning (at least compared to the last couple of days). I hope this comes through in a big way...now they are saying this afternoon....mebbe....

[dubu]

bahahahahahhahahahaahaahabhabahah

good job mr. weather man..

I'm sure that it will snow when the temp is at 46 on top of cougar mt..

[KQ]

bahahahahahhahahahaahaahabhabahah

good job mr. weather man..

I'm sure that it will snow when the temp is at 46 on top of cougar mt..

Yeah....they've been getting beat up on the local radio stations. WTF? You've got to wonder if they all get together and laugh about this. "Whoa, really f*cked up THAT forecast! Ha-ha-ha." "Oh yeah Jeff...and boy was it funny seeing all those ppl lined up at Les Schwab."

Why do we even bother? Just get up in the morning, open the front door, step outside and look around. You get the same results.

[The AD]

Give it time, give it time. Supposedly the front is taking it's sweet time, but "still looks good" for snow in the foothills and mountains.

One good thing about this sudden warming trend is the ice is finally melting from the parking lot at work.

[dubu]

I feel so jaded right now, I am hoping that I will get to ski Alpy bc before feb 15th..

Speaking of weather men is it just me or have theyir forecasting skills gone down the tube this year?

[PNWbrit]

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 927 AM PST WED JAN 12 2005 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER BRITISH COLUMBIA ON THURSDAY...BRINGING A STEADY FLOW OF COOL AND DRY CANADIAN AIR INTO THE REGION. A WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE BY TO THE SOUTH OVER THE WEEKEND. && .DISCUSSION...ALLS RATHER QUIET AT THIS POINT THIS MORNING WITH THE CONVERGENCE ZONE DOING ITS THANG OVER SNOHOMISH COUNTY...AND WITH ACARS DATA SHOWING THE FREEZING LEVEL IS STILL AROUND 3600 FEET...WILL ASSUME THAT THE SNOW LEVEL IS STILL ABOVE 1000 FEET AT THIS POINT. THE FREEZING LEVEL IS SLOWLY LOWERING AS THE COLDER AIR IS BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO THE REGION AS INDICATED BY THE AIRCRAFT SOUNDING OVER VANCOUVER WHERE THE FREEZING LEVEL IS NEAR 2100 FEET. ALSO THIS LAST HOUR...NEARLY ALL THE OBSERVATION POINTS FROM THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA TO WHIDBEY ISLAND NORTHWARD...HAVE DROPPED ONE OR TWO DEGREES IN THE LAST HOUR...INDICATING THE COLDER AIR FORCEING ITS WAY INTO THE REGION. INTERESTING TO SEE THE DEWPOINT DROP TO 23 THIS HOUR AT TOFINO. SO...NOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. FIRST OFF WILL BE UPDATING THE FORECAST TO INDICATE THAT THE SHOWERS WILL BE MORE SCATTERED IN NATURE...MAINLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE CONVERGENCE ZONE AND SUPRESSED ELSEWHERE IN THE SOUND. SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL BE MORE NUMEROUS OVER THE SOUTHWEST INTERIOR...COAST...NORTHWEST INTERIOR WITH THE MAIN EMPHASIS OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS. WITH THE UNSTABLE AND DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE REGION...SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF HOLES IN THE CLOUDS IN THE LOWLANDS...ESPECIALLY DOWNWIND OF THE OLYMPICS. TEMPERATURES LIKELY AT THE HIGH FOR THE DAY SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA AND ALREADY BELOW THE EARLIER HIGH NORTHERN HALF. SLOW DOWNWARD TREND WILL CONTINUE...INTO THE MID 30S BY EVENING. LOOKS LIKE WE WILL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SNOW THROUGH THE DAYTIME HOURS IN THE LOWLANDS NEAR THE SOUND. WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE NIGHTTIME HOURS FOR THAT. NOT THE CASE FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS EAST OF I405 HOWEVER WHERE STILL EXPECT THIS REGION TO SEE SOME SNOW SHOWER ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON. THE SNOW IN THE FOOTHILLS AND THE MOUNTAINS STILL LOOKS GOOD AND WILL LEAVE THAT ALONE...JUST UPDATE THE WORDING OF THE STATEMENTS IF NEED BE.

[The AD]

I feel so jaded right now, I am hoping that I will get to ski Alpy bc before feb 15th..

February 15th, 2006?

[KQ]

February 15th, 2006?

Cruel!

[The AD]

Hold the phone, kids. It looks like Mother Nature is cooperating! Check out the Stevens Pass cam!


It's looking pretty good as of the time I'm posting this. Temps still well below freezing there, too.

[KQ]

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr - Look out Spok-a-loo:

Thursday night it should be mostly clear with lows in the mid-20s in the Puget Sound area.

Expect a big chill in Eastern Washington, with snow expected in the Spokane area. Gusty winds will blow region wide with temperatures warming to freezing locally ahead of an arctic air mass that begins to move into the area overnight.

Several days of bitter cold are expected in Spokane, with a high temperature Thursday of 9 degrees and a low of 3 degrees. It will become even more bone chilling over the weekend, with temperatures dropping well below zero Friday and Saturday nights.