As shoppers scurried to handle last minute buying or preparations for Christmas activities the National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory which means snow for our area on Friday afternoon extending through the evening into early Saturday, Christmas Eve. They are urging people with early activities on Saturday to use extra care while driving.

Here's the NWS post:

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 3 AM PST SATURDAY...

* TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

* SNOW LEVEL...FALLING TO NEAR 500 FEET THIS AFTERNOON...THEN 200 FEET THIS EVENING. RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW ON HILLS AND OVER ELEVATED TERRAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE SNOW LEVEL DROPS.

* MAIN IMPACT...UP TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY ABOVE 200 FEET ELEVATION. LOCATIONS NEAR SEA LEVEL...SUCH AS NEAR THE SHORES OF PUGET SOUND...WILL GET LITTLE IF ANY ACCUMULATION.

* OTHER IMPACTS...TRAVEL ON SNOW COVERED ROADS WILL BE CHALLENGING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES... AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.