If you’re living west of Washington, the next 48 hours will be your last chance to see some snowflakes.
But don’t start thinking about skiing and snowballing – there will be no accumulation in the lowlands.
While that is unusual, snow did fall and accumulate over the lowlands of Washington in April, which was shown in moments of heavy snowfall in Seattle and Bellingham below.
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We have a chance this weekend and Monday….but then it will get too warm for the rest of the month.
The freezing level for us right now over Puget Sound is about 1700 meters right now. Colder than freezing at the top and warmer than freezing at the bottom. Most precipitation begins when the snow is high and takes about 1000 ft to melt in temperatures above freezing.
As a result, wet snow can now fall about 700 ft.
The air will cool a bit tonight and precipitation can cool the atmosphere by melting and evaporating. So the snowflakes will probably go lower tonight.
As shown on the forecast surface weather map below at 5 a.m. Sunday, cool air (in blue) will cover the area. And if you look closely, you can see a center of low pressure on the southern pole of Vancouver Island. That weak disturbance should result in light rain…with a few snowflakes embedded.
Here is the forecast snow until 5 p.m. Sunday. A very light amount from mixed snowflakes.
But look at the prediction Snowdepth simultaneously (below). The lowlands are bare – but plenty in the mountains.
But snow lovers have a second chance. A much stronger system will approach our area and enter northern Oregon. Strong winds will spread across western Oregon and cold air will push away from BC’s Fraser Valley.
This system will bring another chance of snow, even if temperatures are lower. Take a look at the total snowfall for the 24 hours ending at 5pm on Monday. Several locations in SW Washington may see some pieces.
Either way, no one would call this April’s big snowstorm….but it will remind us that the atmosphere can be quite cool in April. And this snow event will refresh the Cascades ice sheet, which is good for several reasons. No early wildfires this year.
