Snow expected for Seattle over holiday weekend

A cold front is expected to bring small amounts of lowland snow throughout the region this weekend, meaning Seattle could be in for a slightly white Christmas this year.

The National Weather Service in Seattle is predicting between 1 and 3 inches of snowfall from Saturday to Monday. However, meteorologists say snowfall amounts aren’t expected to exceed a quarter-of-an-inch during a single 6-hour block over that period, meaning it's possible we won’t see much accumulation on the ground. 

"For those wanting snow, Saturday night through Monday appears more promising right now, though subject to change of course," the weather service wrote in its Wednesday forecast discussion. "If temps are cold enough and snow can materialize, a few inches of accumulation seems like a reasonable outcome."

Most of the snowfall will likely come late in the weekend when temperatures are expected to remain below freezing. Highs will be in the low 40s on Saturday during the day, but daytime temperatures are expected to drop to the low 30s Sunday and remain there through Monday. Nighttime lows could range between 10 and 20 degrees.

Throughout the rest of the work week, the region will see periods of rain with some instances of freezing rain sprinkled in. More rain means flooding along harbors, shorelines and low-lying coastal roadways around Puget Sound is possible. The weather service said sharp rises on the Skokomish River at Potlatch are expected Wednesday and may lead to minor river flooding by Wednesday night. There is also a chance of thunderstorms Wednesday. 

The weather service's storm prediction center also warns of the slim possibility of a "brief tornado" Wednesday afternoon along the Western coast. The prediction center says the chance of that happening is about 2%, and if one does occur, Oregon will likely get the worst of it. 

Steady snowfall in the Cascades is also expected this week, meaning drivers traveling for the holiday should exercise caution while traversing mountain passes. The mountain snow began falling Tuesday evening, and accumulation is expected to be between 6 and 12 inches by early Thursday.

As for next week, we'll likely see the coldest weather of the season so far. The weather service says highs will be in the mid-20s through Wednesday with lows generally in the teens. Some areas, however, could see lows in the single digits. The cold air will be dry, which means snow is unlikely during this time.