What’s that, you ask? Another snowstorm? It certainly seems that way for Western Washington. Residents of Western Washington woke up on Thursday morning, December 30, to find a fresh coat of snow on the ground, adding more to the record-setting snowfall totals already seen last week. The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has been asking residents to avoid unnecessary travel since crews are trying to clear sidewalks and streets of snow.
But December 30 is expected to be the last day of the Arctic blast. Friday, December 31, is expected to be cold and dry, but temperatures will start to rise, starting Saturday, January 1. Weather forecasters have announced that most of the record-breaking snowfall and cold will start to loosen its strength in the region during the weekend, leading to a gradual warm-up.
Forecast for New Year’s Day
January 1 will start off dry, but residents of Western Washington may receive some showers. Precipitation in the region may initially take the form of snow, but this is likely to transition to just rain or a mix of rain and snow. Either way, the precipitation is expected to be relatively light. That said, weather forecasters have warned residents of slick spots. On January 2, Sunday, the Western Washington area will experience a weak atmospheric river, and snow levels could rise to over 1,500 feet. This could cause rainfall in the lowlands. The rainfall on Sunday could be heavy at times, and flash flooding risks may persist.
Weather alerts in Washington state
Regardless of where you reside, an important part of emergency preparedness is being aware of natural disasters and emergencies that are likely to happen near you. If you live in Washington, some weather phenomena to be prepared for include winter storms, earthquakes, tornadoes, and flooding. Being in the know about severe weather forecasts can help people take potentially life-saving actions.
You can get alerts about weather conditions from the authorities via Wireless Emergency Alerts, also known as WEAs. These are short emergency alerts that are broadcast from local cell towers to phones in targeted areas. The various types of WEA alerts include Imminent Threat, Presidential, Public Safety, and AMBER alerts. Wireless Emergency Alerts look like regular texts but have different tones that help people distinguish them from regular messages. If you live in Washington (or anywhere else in the country), make sure you haven’t accidentally opted out of receiving these alerts.
Watch the video to find out how much snow you can expect to see in the following days.