EVERETT — Snow shovels, boxes filled with ice scrapers and stacks of salt bags remained largely untouched Thursday evening at the Lowe’s in Everett.
The store itself was relatively quiet — a calm before chilly lows could bring days of snow to Puget Sound next week, as well as temperatures trending into the teens, or even single digits, in Snohomish County.
By Wednesday, much of the lowlands could fall below freezing, said National Weather Service meteorologist Harrison Rademacher.
“We don’t know exactly how much snow areas will get but we have a feeling right now that there could be a rain-snow mix for a lot of lowland areas,” too, Rademacher said.
Inland towns like Darrington and Granite Falls could see well over a foot of snow accumulation. By the end of the week, meteorologists predict a low of 2 degrees in Darrington. Everett could be in the teens.
In the meantime, a snowstorm was forecasted to frost the mountains this weekend.
Meteorologists predicted an inch or two would “most likely” fall in the central Puget Sound lowlands, but cautioned that there was a great degree of uncertainty in the forecast.
The weather service issued a winter weather advisory from 4 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Saturday for heavy snow and wind in the Cascades. Stevens and Snoqualmie passes were expected to get 9 to 15 inches of snow Friday and Saturday. Below 2,000 feet, cities along Puget Sound can expect steady rain, showers and overcast skies.
Precipitation levels were low for the foothills in late 2023. From Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, Darrington typically receives an average 33.86 inches of precipitation. In 2023, the National Weather Service station in Darrington recorded 17 inches, with about 4 inches alone falling during early December flooding in Snohomish County, weather service meteorologist Reid Wolcott said.
Snohomish County Public Works has 16 plows and sander trucks, as well as three anti-ice trucks, prepped ahead of the incoming weather system. Public Works employees are in charge of maintaining about 1,600 miles of county roads — clearing snow from popular streets, spreading sand for traction and deploying a chemical to prevent ice from forming.
“It’s an art and a science,” Public Works Director Kelly Snyder said.
She said the 24-hour crews have been driving the routes, getting familiar with the roads they’ll need to clear during winter weather events.
Public Works advises residents to pile any shoveled snow away from walkways and to the left side, when facing the property. This way, plows won’t push snow back onto sidewalks and driveways.
Residents should also keep drainage inlets clear of leaves and debris during winter months to reduce chances of flooding, Snyder said.
Snyder advises residents to follow Public Works on social media for the most current information on road closures.
During storms, Public Works staff also update a map with routes that have been recently plowed and sanded, as well as streets that have had an anti-ice chemical applied. People can report concerns related to county-maintained routes online or via phone by calling 425-388-7500.
Ta’Leah Van Sistine: 425-339-3460; taleah.vansistine@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @TaLeahRoseV.
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