Millions are under weather alerts due to potentially life-threatening weather starting this weekend and lasting through mid-week.
SEATTLE –After a rare week-long break from rainy weather in the heart of November, storms are returning with a vengeance to the Pacific as a series of storms take aim at the region, threatening rainfall and measured in multiple feet in the mountains before it turns to rain there too.
The first storm bringing the region’s first rain since Nov. 22 is an initial round of typical rain to the lowlands but will pummel the Cascades and Olympics with heavy snow. A second storm right on its heels will keep the rain and mountain snow going into the weekend.
A car overturns on a slick highway during a storm in Washington on Dec. 1, 2023.
(Washington State Dept. of Transportation / FOX Weather)
are in effect through Sunday, stretching along the entire spine of the Cascades in and , including all the heavily traveled mountain passes near the and areas.
Already chains were required to get east across I-90’s Snoqualmie Pass east of Seattle Friday morning. The point was illustrated when the eastbound lanes had to be shut down for about an hour Friday morning after about 30 semi trucks spun out on the snow-covered freeway, . None of the trucks was wearing chains, the DOT said.
Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass covered in snow during a storm on Dec. 1, 2023.
(Washington State Dept. of Transportation)
The Winter Storm Warnings span both initial storms and last into Sunday morning for up to 2-3 feet of snow, with the bulk of the snow falling during the first half of the weekend. is likely as gusts reach 40-50 mph.
Winter alerts in effect for the Northwest for Dec. 1, 2023
(FOX Weather)
“For many of you that have kids going to university on the other side of the state, this is not going to be the weekend for them to home,” FOX Weather Meteorologist warned. “You’re going to want to tell them to just stay there and have a weekend with your friends instead of heading back home.”
Snow forecast in Cascade Mountains through Sunday.
(FOX Weather)
Meanwhile, snow will spread out into eastern Washington and Oregon, with 2-4 inches of snow through Saturday afternoon.
Wind gusts are expected to reach 45-55 mph in the Western Washington lowlands and Wind Advisories have been posted into Saturday morning.
Atmospheric rivers ramp up next week with ‘Pineapple Express’ possible
The pattern shifts on Sunday as the instead draws up a pair of warmer, tropically infused atmospheric river storms to push into the Pacific Northwest into next week.
These storms will bring a sharp increase in both the snow levels and the amount of , switching the concerns from heavy snow to heavy rain and potential river and urban .
Rainfall forecast in Pacific Northwest through Sunday.
(FOX Weather)
Snow levels will rise to over 5,000-6,000 feet with the first atmospheric river on Sunday afternoon and Sunday night, with rain lasting into Monday.
Just hours later, a second, more robust atmospheric river is expected to tap into copious amounts of warm, tropical moisture near , earning the storm the nickname as a “” atmospheric river.
Snow levels will be over 7,000 feet by late Monday into Tuesday as several inches of rain fall – both in the populated lowlands and in the mountains. Some of the mountain areas could see as much as 10 inches of rain between the two atmospheric rivers, leading to flooding potential on multiple rivers across the region.
“With this moisture that’s going to arrive, it’s snow now (in the mountains) Friday and Saturday, and then come Sunday, we’ve got some moisture that’s going to be warmer and with that warmer moisture, snow levels are going to rise,” says FOX Weather Meteorologist . “That means snow (first), then you get the rain on top of the snow and that compounds some problems so flooding is going to be an increasing threat that we see in the Cascades.”
Flood Watches are now in effect for all mountain-fed rivers in Western Washington from Saturday evening into Wednesday.
Current Flood Watches in effect for Western Washington on Dec. 1, 2023.
(FOX Weather)
“Once we get into Sunday, Monday, Tuesday – this is where the concern is because now the snow levels go way up to 10,000 feet,” FOX Weather Meteorologist said. “All of that fresh snow that’s fallen will be melting, and you’ll be talking about flooding – it’ll be a mess.”
The heavier rain tapers off to a cooler, showery pattern later next week.