EVERETT — Most of Snohomish County won’t see a white Christmas this year.
Wednesday’s snow level is about 3,500 to 4,000 feet, so only some parts of the Cascades will see snow or a mixture of snow and rain, said Matthew Cullen, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Lower elevations will see rain and temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s. The rain may pause for a bit on Christmas morning.
Across western Washington, potentially higher-impact systems with heavy rain, snow and gusty winds could arrive Christmas and into next week, according to the weather service.
People traveling over Stevens Pass or other mountain passes for the holidays should check weather conditions and make sure they have proper equipment to traverse the snow. On Monday afternoon, the weather service issued a winter storm watch from Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning for the Cascades, including Snohomish and Skagit counties. Heavy snow and wind are possible with accumulations reaching 18 to 24 inches.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory from Monday night to Tuesday morning for parts of the county east of I-5. Cities such as Monroe, Sultan and Gold Bar could see 45 mph wind gusts and rain. Other parts of the county will see less severe winds. Cullen said to watch out for holiday decorations that could get swept up in the wind.
Temperatures will remain in the high 40s and low 50s through the rest of the week. Periods of rain will persist with 12-to-18-hour breaks as weather systems continue to move through the region.
“It’s more of the same,” Cullen said.
Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.
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