As predicted, Sunday brought snow, huge, steady flakes for two or three hours depending on where you lived. The top of Capitol Hill accumulated four to five inches, most of which remains; other areas just saw a dusting. The wet, heavy snow burdening tree branches caused power outages for almost 4,000 Seattle residents yesterday afternoon, from between 2 to 6 p.m.
For Martin Luther King Day, the National Weather Service predicts the possibility of snow showers, mainly before 4 p.m., but nothing of more than half an inch. But Tuesday, they say, could bring over two inches, and Wednesday morning, up to four inches–before it all rains away that afternoon and into Thursday, when temperatures should rise into the mid-40s.
“SLUSHMAGEDDON,” UW meteorologist Cliff Mass calls it, but also cautions that if that warmer air moves elsewhere, we may have a blizzard on our doorsteps: “If the warm/low goes farther south than forecast there could be much more snow. Wednesday has the potential to be a very major snow event, but the uncertainty is still large….more tomorrow.” Cliffhanger!
UPDATE: Here are Cliff Mass blog posts in chronological order, latest last: “Major Snow Event,” “Wednesday Snow Storm,” “Scaling Back.”
In the meantime, all King County Metro transit is operating on snow routing today. Buses may not be at the usual stops at the usual time, so check ahead.