WeatherWatcher: National Weather Service is changing Public Zones

 

Current Public Zones
National Weather Service in Seattle

The National Weather Service in Seattle is making a significant change in the way forecasts, watches, warnings and advisories will be issued for Western Washington. A long overdue reform I never thought I'd witness.

Currently the public zones lump Shoreline and Lake Forest Park in with Sea-Tac international airport. This zone includes Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Seattle, and everything in between Seattle and Tacoma city limits. 

Whereas our neighbors to the north, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, are all included with the Everett public zone all the way up past Marysville, Tulalip and beyond to the north Snohomish County line.

The reform scheduled to go into effect on March 19, 2025, will create two new zones for Everett and vicinity, with the southern zone essentially creating a zone for the Puget Sound Convergence zone region. 

This new zone will cover South Everett, Mukilteo, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Mill Creek, Lynnwood, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline, Maltby, parts of Woodinville and parts of the Bothell area.

New Public Zones
National Weather Service in Seattle

We will be included now with zone WAZ313. Those who follow my weather reports might remember they are based on a blend of Seattle vs. Everett, heavily leaning towards the Everett forecast zone which more accurately depicts what we experience here in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. 

In recent years I've been providing notices for Shoreline Area News and paying more attention to watches, warnings and advisories issued for Everett, vs Seattle as they better represent what Shoreline and Lake Forest Park might experience.

What does this mean for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park? 

Watches, Warnings, and Advisories will better represent our geographic and microclimate area. Prior to March 19, 2025, our watches, warnings and advisories (the ones that pop up in your smartphone weather apps) were based on weather expected at Sea-Tac. Now they will be based on what is expected in our newly defined zone, which will reduce over or under warning communities of significant weather-related events or hazards.

For more information about this public zone reform you can visit the news release on the National Weather Service Seattle at this link.

For current weather conditions visit https://www.shorelineweather.com