National Weather Service Report – Monday, Dec. 27, 2010

WINTRY WEATHER IS HEADING TO WESTERN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK...

A COUPLE OF WINTER WEATHER EVENTS ARE COMING THIS WEEK...INCLUDING
THE POSSIBILITY OF LOWLAND SNOW BEGINNING LATE TUESDAY NIGHT.

THE FIRST WINTER WEATHER EVENT IS A MOUNTAIN SNOWFALL EVENT FOR
TONIGHT AND TUESDAY. FAIRLY STRONG WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT AND A MOIST
AIR MASS WILL CREATE A HEAVY SNOW PRODUCING PATTERN FOR THE
MOUNTAINS. A TOTAL OF ONE TO TWO FEET OF NEW SNOW IS EXPECTED
TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE
CASCADES AND OLYMPICS FOR THIS EVENT.

THEN...AND POSSIBLY OF MORE INTEREST...THERE IS A CHANCE OF HIT AND
MISS LOWLAND SNOW FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. A
DEEP UPPER TROUGH WILL SETTLE OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON BRINGING WITH
IT COLDER TEMPERATURES AND SOME PRECIPITATION. THE PRECIPITATION
WITH THIS FEATURE WILL BE SHOWERY...MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT
WHERE...WHEN AND HOW MUCH WILL OCCUR UNTIL VERY SHORTLY BEFORE IT
HAPPENS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR AREAS NEAR THE PUGET SOUND
WHERE DUE TO SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES...THE SHOWERS COULD BE A
MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW. WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S AND LOWS IN
THE 20S...SOME OF THE SNOW THAT DOES FALL WILL LIKELY STICK.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL IS STILL A FEW DAYS AWAY AND THE FORECAST
COULD CHANGE. THE PRECIPITATION CURRENTLY LOOKS MORE SHOWERY RATHER
THAN A WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL AND SHOWERS IMPLY A MORE HIT OR MISS TYPE
OF SNOW EVENT. STILL...LOWLAND SNOW IS USUALLY A BIG EVENT AROUND
WESTERN WASHINGTON...SO STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST FORECASTS AND
STATEMENTS.