The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning with an 80% chance of snow in our area for Thursday night into Friday morning. Accumulations of up to four inches are possible. An East wind 14 to 20 mph will keep things moving and winds will diminish slightly into the evening Thursday. The snow will leave the forecast and change to rain as the day progresses Friday, but it will only go to a high of 45 degrees.

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
MORNING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* TIMING...A WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. COLD AIR WILL BE IN PLACE AT THE SURFACE WHEN PRECIPITATION BEGINS. THE PRECIPITATION IS LIKELY TO BEGIN AS SNOW...THEN CHANGE TO RAIN. AROUND 12 HOURS OF SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE AT MOST LOCATIONS IN THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS. FOUR INCHES OR MORE OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE. THE HOOD CANAL AREA...WHERE STRONG EAST WINDS WILL ADD AN UPSLOPE COMPONENT TO THE SNOW...COULD GET SEVEN INCHES OR MORE. THE ONSET OF SNOW...AND THE CHANGE TO RAIN...WILL BE EARLIER IN THE SOUTH AND LATER IN THE NORTH. BY FRIDAY MORNING IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT SNOW WILL HAVE CHANGED TO RAIN EVERYWHERE.

* MAIN IMPACT...TRAVEL WILL BE GREATLY AFFECTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.