Rain and mountain snow to continue dousing Pacific Northwest this week
By
Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Mar 2, 2020 12:15 PM EDT
After a few weeks of dry conditions, on March 1, skiers and snowboarders at Squaw Valley, California, were excited to see fresh snow on the mountain.
The active weather pattern that has been plaguing the Pacific Northwest with rain and mountain snow since the end of February will prevail for the first week of March.
During the first two months of the year, Seattle received nearly 150 percent of its normal rainfall, with Portland, Oregon, picking up about 0.50 of an inch more than normal during the same time.
None of the storms targeting the Pacific Northwest will be particularly strong this week, but forecasters say another 0.50 to 1 inch of rain could fall in Seattle by the end of the week.
The first system zipped through Washington state and the higher terrain of western Montana and Idaho on Monday and Monday night. A second storm system affected the region from Tuesday night to Wednesday.
This image, taken at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2020, shows patchy clouds associated with weak storms pushing inland over the northwestern United States. A swirl of clouds, associated with a stronger storm was located over the Pacific Ocean farther to the west. (NOAA / Goes-West)
The second storm has been of the nuisance variety, with snow levels limited to only a few of the highest passes.
A mix of rain and snow fell on Interstate 90's Snoqualmie Pass again on Tuesday night, with temperatures remaining too high for any accumulation on the highway.
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A long fetch of warm and moist air coming into the region from the Pacific Ocean will be to blame for the lack of accumulating snow in all but the highest elevations of the Cascades.
Regardless, motorists traveling on I-5, I-90 and secondary roads should be prepared for reduced visibility and make sure to travel with caution on wet roadways to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
After a brief lull in the stormy weather on Thursday, yet another system will push onshore from late Thursday to Friday.
This system will have more moisture to work with than the first two, and it will also draw colder air southward from western Canada and allow rain to change over to snow in the passes by Friday. Snow levels could even dip down to the hills around Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
In addition, gusty winds of 20-30 mph will be quite common throughout the week, so travel delays and rough seas are also expected. Residents should allot extra time to get to and from work and school and be sure to grab the rain gear before heading out the door.
Although chilly air will continue to grip the Northwest during the upcoming weekend, an area of high pressure should put an end to the parade of storms bombarding the region for at least a few days.
Correction: This story previously stated that Snoqualmie Pass was located along Interstate 80. It is situated along Interstate 90.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Winter Weather
Rain and mountain snow to continue dousing Pacific Northwest this week
By Kyle Elliott, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Mar 2, 2020 12:15 PM EDT
After a few weeks of dry conditions, on March 1, skiers and snowboarders at Squaw Valley, California, were excited to see fresh snow on the mountain.
The active weather pattern that has been plaguing the Pacific Northwest with rain and mountain snow since the end of February will prevail for the first week of March.
During the first two months of the year, Seattle received nearly 150 percent of its normal rainfall, with Portland, Oregon, picking up about 0.50 of an inch more than normal during the same time.
None of the storms targeting the Pacific Northwest will be particularly strong this week, but forecasters say another 0.50 to 1 inch of rain could fall in Seattle by the end of the week.
The first system zipped through Washington state and the higher terrain of western Montana and Idaho on Monday and Monday night. A second storm system affected the region from Tuesday night to Wednesday.
This image, taken at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 4, 2020, shows patchy clouds associated with weak storms pushing inland over the northwestern United States. A swirl of clouds, associated with a stronger storm was located over the Pacific Ocean farther to the west. (NOAA / Goes-West)
The second storm has been of the nuisance variety, with snow levels limited to only a few of the highest passes.
A mix of rain and snow fell on Interstate 90's Snoqualmie Pass again on Tuesday night, with temperatures remaining too high for any accumulation on the highway.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
A long fetch of warm and moist air coming into the region from the Pacific Ocean will be to blame for the lack of accumulating snow in all but the highest elevations of the Cascades.
Regardless, motorists traveling on I-5, I-90 and secondary roads should be prepared for reduced visibility and make sure to travel with caution on wet roadways to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
After a brief lull in the stormy weather on Thursday, yet another system will push onshore from late Thursday to Friday.
This system will have more moisture to work with than the first two, and it will also draw colder air southward from western Canada and allow rain to change over to snow in the passes by Friday. Snow levels could even dip down to the hills around Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
In addition, gusty winds of 20-30 mph will be quite common throughout the week, so travel delays and rough seas are also expected. Residents should allot extra time to get to and from work and school and be sure to grab the rain gear before heading out the door.
Related:
Although chilly air will continue to grip the Northwest during the upcoming weekend, an area of high pressure should put an end to the parade of storms bombarding the region for at least a few days.
Correction: This story previously stated that Snoqualmie Pass was located along Interstate 80. It is situated along Interstate 90.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo