Blizzard warning issued for Western Washington — a first since 2012
Published 3:50 pm Monday, January 8, 2024
EVERETT — The National Weather Service issued a rare blizzard warning Sunday night for Western Washington — a region that hasn’t had a blizzard warning since 2012.
As of Monday, the warning was scheduled from 4 a.m. Tuesday until 10 a.m. Wednesday for the Olympics and the Cascades.
A few conditions lead to blizzards:
• Several feet of heavy snow;
• Wind speeds of 35 mph or faster;
• Visibility of a quarter-mile or less.
People at higher elevations could see about 2 to 3 feet of snow, said Matthew Cullen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Darrington could get 10 to 14 inches of snow Tuesday and another 3 to 7 inches Wednesday.
People in the lowlands should expect mostly rain, Cullen said, though lower elevation areas in Snohomish County could get a mix of rain and snow.
After several days of rain, Everett is expected to get less than a half-inch of snow on Thursday, with another chance of snow on Friday.
Snohomish County Public Works staff have applied an anti-ice chemical to roads throughout the county, according to a map on the department’s website.
People can report concerns related to county-maintained routes online or via phone by calling 425-388-7500.
A slew of organizations in the county will offer overnight shelter and warming centers for people this week.
