WeatherWatcher: Wind Advisory then Arctic Outbreak

Snow on NE 193rd St and 3rd Ave NE
January 18, 2012. Photo by Carl Dinse

Wind Advisory: The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a wind advisory that is in effect for Saturday from 7am to 7pm. Southerly winds are expected to increase to 20-30mph with gusts near 45mph. The peak of the winds are expected during the afternoon hours.

Winds this strong can snap tree branches and cause local power outages.

Forecast: There are a lot of things going on over the next five days. We have a little wind storm for Saturday, bringing with it rain and a lot of mountain snow. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 40's.

Arctic Outbreak:
Overnight Saturday night into Sunday morning, close to 3am, the first arctic front pushes south. Temperatures are expected to fall into the low 30's and rain showers are expected to change over to snow showers.

Sunday snow showers are expected in the morning and afternoon. Models have been somewhat indecisive on accumulations but they have been consistent on a convergence zone forming.

If the zone forms, and if it forms over the Shoreline area we could get anywhere from 1-6" of snow. Most of the model runs have had it over the Lynnwood - Everett area, however, so we may be missed. The remainder of the region outside of the convergence zone could still see a 0-1" of snow accumulation.

Winds Saturday night - Sunday night are expected to continue gusting up to 45mph with a shift from south to north occurring Sunday morning when the first arctic front arrives. Sunday night these north winds are going to bring a second arctic front through the area. By this point there isn't expected to be any moisture left, so snow showers should end. These are expected to be the coldest temperatures we've had since December 2016.

Monday we are looking at clear skies with cold temperatures. Monday morning lows are expected to be in the mid-lower 20's and the high temperature probably near the mid 30's. Monday night into Tuesday morning is another cold night, possibly a record breaker with lows in the low 20's or upper teens.

Tuesday - Friday: Temperatures will remain cold, but not as cold as Tuesday morning. Snow levels are expected to remain between sea level and 500 feet for the entire week. Showers are expected to return starting as early as Tuesday afternoon. We have a chance of snow or rain for the remainder of the week.

Sometimes when we have a forecast like this we could easily see rain, or we could easily see snow for the majority of the week. I'll continue to provide updates as this arctic blast develops. At this time there have not been any winter weather watches, warnings or advisories issued. However it is important to know the possibility of an all-out classic snowstorm event is very significant in the next several days.

Bottom line: Be prepared for winter weather conditions over the next 5-7 days. Keep any exposed outdoor pipes insulated and be prepared for winter driving.

For current weather conditions visit www.shorelineweather.com