UPDATE | November 29, 2014, 4AM
The National Weather Service has a Winter Weather Advisory in place until 11AM, Saturday, November 29th, for 1-3 inches of snow. That advisory includes the ‘East Puget Sound Lowlands’ and the Snoqualmie Valley. As of 4AM, snow was falling and sticking to I-90 as shown on the WSDOT traffic camera.
Readers reported a couple inches had fallen in North Bend’s Cedar Village area; 3+ inches in Riverbend; and light snow on Snoqualmie Ridge as of 6AM, Saturday.
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Original Story | 11/28/14
Don’t let the kids get too excited. Yes, snow has crept into the latest weather forecast, but it’s a slight chance and if it does materialize, the local weather forecasters say it will probably be light.
[Special note to snow lovers: According to UW Atmospheric Science Professor, Cliff Mass, if the upper level trough approaching on Saturday comes in farther to the southwest, there could be more snow. He said to remember, there is some uncertainty with this forecast.]
Tropical, Mild Air Ushered out by Cold, Arctic Air
Since Tuesday, November 25th, rain that originated near Hawaii has been soaking western Washington and filling the Snoqualmie River. But that’s about to change because right on the heels of that warm front, a cold front will charge on through.
High temperatures will also drop (kind of dramatically) from a high of 60 on Thanksgiving, to the low 50’s Friday morning – and then dropping as the day continues, to around 40 Friday evening. Overnight it will be around 30.
Some scattered, light snow is possibly overnight Friday, but as the cold air arrives from the Arctic (the weather guys say it originates from the Yukon), the moisture starts to dry up, as the winds shift from the south to a more dry, northerly direction.
Convergence Zone Best Chance for Snow
A Puget Sound Convergence zone is expected to form after the cold front pushes through on Friday, November 28th The National Weather Service says it’ll most likely hit the usual spot – between North King County and South Snohomish County – and hang around from Friday night through early Sunday morning, November 29th. If that convergence zone does form, it could drop 1-3 inches of snow.
Those convergence zones sometimes have a habit of sinking south and east as they begin to dissipate, sometimes landing over the North Bend area. Wilderness Rim is prone to picking up some snow in these situations, while Snoqualmie gets zilch. [That doesn’t mean it will happen, just something to keep an eye out for overnight – especially as the hilly roads in the Wilderness Rim area get tricky to navigate in snow events.]
Regardless, everyone else will be cold overnight (30 instead of 50 like Thanksgiving night), with the snow level at 300 feet. High temperatures on Sunday are only expected to hit the mid 30’s in the Snoqualmie Valley and then maybe creep up to around 40 the following few days, but it will be sunny!
The colder and drier weather should give the banks of the Snoqualmie River a rest, which has been hovering around stage 2 flood level, with a Flood Watch in place until 6PM, November 28th.
Stay warm and find those sun glasses!
Comments
Please remind everyone that as the temperatures get colder and the storm ponds and streams form a crust of ice, those features are very tempting but very dangerous to our younger people. It takes a good long cold snap to get ice to weight bearing thickness (about 3 1/2″ at minimum to support a person safely) and with streams and ponds loaded with water from the recent heavy rains it doesn’t take much for someone to break through and get trapped under the ice. No one wants to experience any tragedy during the holidays or at any time throughout the year, and this kind of tragedy is very preventable with proper instruction of children and older kids.
Thanks in advance!!!