January 23, 2021

Forecast: January 23rd, 2021

By Rachael Fewkes

Hey Huskies!

Most of us in Western WA are getting to enjoy blue skies and sunshine this morning. A bit of fog is still lingering in some parts of the Puget Sound, but overall it’s looking like it’s going to be a beautiful (albeit chilly) day! You can expect temperatures to remain in the upper 30s and low 40s, so just be sure to pack your fluffiest coat if you have any outdoor plans.

As we make our way into this evening, we’ll see increasing cloud cover as a front approaches the coast. Overcast skies will precede the real excitement, which will begin tomorrow morning. Precipitation will arrive early tomorrow and will last into Monday, and with temperatures as cold as they have been, seeing some snowflakes in the air mixed in with the rain showers will certainly be a possibility! The image below shows the amount of snowfall expected throughout the state according to the GFS model between 4:00AM on Sunday and 4:00AM on Monday. While accumulation in the lowlands is unlikely, the chance of a rain/snow mix is exhilarating for winter weather enthusiasts nonetheless.

Looking ahead into next week, Tuesday will be mostly dry with highs remaining in the low 40s. Another frontal system will move into the area Tuesday night, providing a second opportunity for lowland snow. All of the lines in the image below show the amount of snowfall being predicted over the next week by numerous different models, and the black line in the middle represents the average prediction. Models are currently showing Tuesday night into Wednesday morning will be our best bet for any accumulation (as you can see by the large upward slope of the black line in the center of the graph), but there are still uncertainties regarding the track of the frontal system and the amount of moisture that will be in the air, so stay tuned over the next few days for any new information!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Reach forecaster Rachael Fewkes at theuwdawgcast@uw.edu. Twitter: @rachaelfewkes.

CURRENT VISIBLE SATELLITE	WEATHER HEADLINES