Rare weather forecast; Double front predicted as arctic front meets an upper level front
Mon, 01/16/2012
UW Atmospheric Sciences has issued a rare weather forecast predicting that two fronts will converge Tuesday causing heavy snowfall.
AN UPPER LEVEL WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON TODAY GIVING LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS TO THE AREA. AN ARCTIC FRONT WILL LIKELY DROP SOUTH THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN WASHINGTON LATER TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING AND MAY GIVE HEAVY SNOW TO THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN WASHINGTON. THERE REMAINS A POTENTIAL FOR A MAJOR WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE LOWLANDS LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY OR WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST TUESDAY...
...WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST TUESDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.
* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...FORKS...PACIFIC BEACH...ABERDEEN... HOQUIAM.
* TIMING...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
* ACCUMULATIONS...2 TO 7 INCHES OF NEW SNOW. HEAVIEST ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE AWAY FROM THE BEACHES AND ON HILLS ABOVE ABOUT 100 FEET. SIGNIFICANT ADDITION ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY.
* MAIN IMPACT...NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL RESULT IN SOME ICY ROADS...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE LOWLANDS WHEN 4 INCHES OF SNOW OR MORE IS LIKELY WITHIN 12 HOURS.
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER.
IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE REGION...CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...WATER...AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.