November 30, 2022
Forecast: November 30th, 2022
By Olivia Lee and Abi King
Seattle got its first taste of winter weather yesterday. Let’s hear it for the first snow of the season!
Here’s a quick recap: Yesterday morning we saw some flurries that made for a fun walk to campus but a hassle for the morning commute. As the temperature increased during the day, the snow transitioned to rain, which melted off the snow. A frontal system passed through the area yesterday evening, and those showers transitioned back into a snowy wonderland! The observed snowfall was 0.9 inches at SeaTac, 0.4 inches in the U-District and over 5 inches in Snohomish County.
Today we are experiencing post frontal showers that have brought some mixed precipitation. Earlier today we got some sleet on campus and already there have been reports of snow around the Puget Sound.
This snapshot from one of our UW radars shows heavy precipitation throughout the Puget Sound region!
This week has been trending on the chillier side. The typical high and low temperature for late November is 48 and 38 degrees, respectively. Tomorrow’s temperatures will be the coldest of the week, with the high reaching the mid-30s and the low dipping into the 20s. These cold temperatures are due to a blast of cool air that will move into Seattle from the Fraser River Valley.
As temperatures drop tonight, Seattle could see a few tenths of an inch of snow starting around 4:30pm and continuing until early afternoon on Thursday. Although our winter weather advisory suggests that 1-3 inches of snow are possible, the accumulated snow will vary dramatically from area to area.
This image shows the forecasted 24 hour snow accumulation.
The National Weather service has issued a winter weather advisory for the east Puget Sound lowlands, with an inch of new snow accumulation forecasted. For the Cascades and Olympics as well as the Whatcom and Skagit counties, a winter storm warning has been issued, with heavy snowfall expected above 1000 feet. Quite a bit of mountain snow is expected, and lowland snow is not out of the picture. As systems continue to move through, we will see a mishmash of precipitation types from rain, sleet, and snow.
Although the snow has been an exciting addition to week 10, it’s important to remember that with winter weather comes additional hazards. Over 200 flights out of SeaTac have been canceled over the past two days, outages have left over 6,000 people without power and the Washington State Department of Transportation has reported dozens of collisions on the roads. For those planning to commute in the early morning, keep an eye out for icy conditions that can cause slick and hazardous roadways. As we move into tomorrow’s cooler temperatures accompanied by the snow and rain, dropping surface temperatures may freeze leftover slush onto untreated roads or sidewalks. Although it may melt during the daytime, accumulated moisture may stick around and freeze once again the following evening as continued freezing temperatures are expected throughout the week.
Stay cozy and enjoy that snow!
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