EVERETT — Daytime high temperatures Friday were the lowest on record for this time of year for much of the Puget Sound area.
Expect the chill to stay through the weekend, with perhaps some lowland snow sprinkles Saturday night and Sunday morning. Snow is more likely a few hundred feet or more above sea level. There’s little chance of it sticking around.
“If you’re in downtown Everett, probably not, but if you get up to the 400-, 500-foot mark you might get some accumulation,” said Ted Buehner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
Normal high temperatures this time of year are 54 degrees, with 43 degrees the normal low.
As of mid-Friday afternoon, much of the region was mired in the mid- to upper-30s.
Neither Bellingham nor Sea-Tacoma International Airport were expected to rise above 44 degrees, the lowest high temperature for Nov. 3. No corresponding data were available for Everett, Buehner said.
The weather caused numerous flight delays at Sea-Tac.
The appearance of light, quickly melting snow Friday came as a surprise so soon in the season. It’s rare, but not unprecedented.
“On the bell curve, this is definitely on the early end,” Buehner said.
The earliest snowfall measured in Seattle was 2 inches on Oct. 27, 1971, he said.
Precipitation is forecast to taper off Sunday morning, possibly leaving sun breaks by the time the Seahawks and Redskins play at Century Link Field. Kickoff is at 1:05 p.m. High temps weren’t expected to climb above 42 degrees.
Clearing is expected Monday, with a high of 46 degrees.
Wetter, milder weather is forecast to hit by mid-week.
The unseasonably cool weather could be a sign of what’s in store from the unfolding La Niña weather pattern.
“You could consider it a good dress rehearsal,” Buehner said.
Brought on by cooler surface temperatures on the Pacific Ocean, it generally brings more frigid and wetter weather. The unusually snowy winter of 2008 to 2009 came during La Niña conditions.
Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
