Up to 3 inches of snow expected

Published 10:20 pm Monday, January 10, 2011

EVERETT — A fresh fall of snow could tangle the commute tonight in Snohomish County.

Snowfall is expected to pick up late Tuesday afternoon and keep up throughout the night, said Dennis D’Amico, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service

in Seattle. Up to 3 inches could fall by Wednesday morning.

Those commuting Tuesday evening need to plan for possible trouble, transportation officials said. Crews were out Monday applying anti-icer, salt and sand on the roads.

The evening commute may be dicey, but Tuesday night should be the worst time to drive, officials said.

Temperatures should be in the mid- to upper-30s for most of Tuesday but will start to drop off, D’Amico said. They’re expected to hover a little above freezing for most of the night.

Whatever snow sticks should be melting by midday Wednesday, but roads Wednesday morning could still be icky. People need to check conditions before hopping in their car to go to work, D’Amico said.

Wednesday also looks to be a little breezy, with 15 to 25 mph winds and some higher gusts as well.

By late morning, only rain should be falling. The rain could keep up for the rest of the week.

Those traveling across the mountains Tuesday could be waylaid, transportation officials said. Heavy snowfall is expected in Snoqualmie Pass, along with heavy snow and high winds in Stevens Pass.

Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com.