NORTH SOUND, JAN. 29: The question on everyone’s mind: Is it going to snow? Here is the latest assessment so you can plan ahead and be better prepared.
First, this two and half week period of cool dry sunny mid-winter weather is coming to an end. The big ridge of high pressure that has been off the coast and has been steering weather systems well away from the North Sound is breaking down and will shift inland on Thursday, Jan. 30.
Second, a healthy Pacific weather system is forecast to spread clouds onshore Thursday with rain developing in the lowlands Thursday night into Friday, with snow in the mountains.
This system’s associated cold front is expected to swing through the North Sound Friday night with the rain turning to spotty showers Saturday. The passage of the cold front will open the door for colder air to work its way south from the interior of Western Canada.
Over the weekend is when the question of whether snow could fall in the lowlands of the region arises. Weather guidance at this point is offering varying solutions, meaning there is great uncertainty on exactly what will unfold.
What is known is that the rain Friday will turn to showers Saturday with snow levels dropping to near 1,000 feet. Also known is that colder air will begin to blow out of the Fraser River Canyon into Whatcom and San Juan counties Saturday night and Sunday. That colder air will likely be enough for those northern areas near the Canadian border to get some snow showers with light accumulations of perhaps a few inches.
What is not precisely known is how far south that colder air will work its way west toward the coast and south into the Puget Sound region. At this point, it does look like enough colder air will arrive in areas to turn spotty rain showers into snow showers with varying light accumulations, particularly in areas of higher elevations and away from the milder waters of Puget Sound. Snow levels will likely be around just a few hundred feet above sea level.
High temperatures on Sunday will likely struggle to reach 40 degrees, and Monday in the 30s, while lows at night will drop down into the 20s for much of the North Sound. This cold spell is anticipated to linger into the middle of next week, yet available moisture for any further showers will be more limited.
Snow forecasts for the complex terrain of the North Sound and elsewhere in Western Washington are always challenging. All the ingredients need to come together to help generate lowland snow, including cold enough air blended with available moisture.
This colder weather situation bears watching. As the weekend draws closer, more specific forecast details should become more clear. So monitor the latest forecast information so you can be better prepared.
