Lightning strikes Space Needle, snow falls across Puget Sound as wild weather reigns

SEATTLE – Two rounds of unexpectedly wild weather hit Western Washington on Monday.

The first round brought snow to the Seattle metro area Monday m orning, the eastside and areas north, including Everett.

The second swept through beginning Monday afternoon, bringing snow, lightning and thunder. And some people may be getting more snow overnight.

Q13 News meteorologist Walter Kelley said it was the result of a very active convergence zone.

The snow will drift south and back up north of Seattle overnight, he said. The Eastside and foothills will get the most Tuesday. Up north, Port Angeles and the Kitsap area get snow, too. The passes get tons of snow and will have problems through the weekend. This weekend looks like lowland snow again.

In Seattle, video showed lightning hitting the Space Needle. Officials at the Space Needle said it contains 24 lightning rods plus the spire itself, which ground lightning strikes. There was no damage.

In Bellevue, police sent video of cars sliding down a hill downtown.

In Kirkland, a school bus with no children aboard hit a fire hydrant, flooding some nearby condominiums.

Kelley said to expect isolated thunderstorms containing hail through Tuesday, and lots of  snow in the passes all week.

The weather exacerbated a massive traffic problem in Seattle, where I-5 was shut down most of the day after a tanker truck overturned.

The one bright spot Monday: A taco truck stuck in the backup served Mexican food to hungry stranded drivers.