Northwest Braces for Record Cold
‘Major blast’ forecast Friday with cold to follow
By BRAD WONG, Seattle P-I, Dec 11, 2008 [here]
Winter will come barreling in to Western Washington on Friday, bringing rain and perhaps snow by the end of rush hour.
Subfreezing temperatures and perhaps more snow will follow in what the National Weather Service says may be the worst winter storm here since December 1990.
Snow will fall during the day Friday in the Cascades and Olympics. Forecasters said Seattle would see rain Friday and possibly lowland snow by the evening.
The Kitsap Peninsula, Hood Canal, the foothills and areas just north of Seattle might have the best chance for snow.
The snow will be followed Saturday by Seattle-area temperatures hovering in the 30s and the teens to 20s in the Cascades.
Snow will also be possible Saturday and again on Sunday.
“People have to recognize that we haven’t had it this cold here in a long time,” Brad Colman, the Seattle-based Weather Service meteorologist in charge, said at a media briefing.
“It’s not just a shot of a few snow showers. … It really is a major winter blast, especially cold temperature-wise.” …
In December 2007, when conditions were similar to this winter, six people died in Northwest avalanches, he said.
Cliff Mass, a University of Washington professor of atmospheric sciences, said the cold temperatures are a big issue for Seattle-area residents, who might see highs Sunday through Tuesday in the low to mid-30s.
Low temperatures will be “way below” those numbers. “We’re talking about pipes bursting,” he said.
by YPmule
by YPmule
Interesting comments from Seattle this morning.
They are getting more snow from today’s storm than from the storm last weekend.
Pretty good storm blew into central Idaho. At 4800′ elevation we received 7-8″ of snow (so far). Hope it doesn’t warm up and rain it off before the cold front gets here. Winter before last we had very little snow and very cold, froze the water lines buried 4 feet in the ground.