Longest cold stretch in 3 years to ring in the New Year

SEATTLE -- It's going to get cold, really cold -- and likely the longest cold stretch we've seen in almost three years.

“Next week’s cold snap looks to be not only the coldest of this season but also the coldest we’ve been in all of 2016,” said Q13 meteorologist Tim Joyce. “The last time we were below freezing for a full 24 hours in Seattle was back in early February of 2014.

“This cold spell could be longer than that, likely multiple days we’re locked in the freezer around here.”

Q13 meteorologist Walter Kelley says it might be one of those years where the fireworks get lost in the clouds around the Space Needle. He's forecasting "chilly and raw" conditions with temperatures around 36 degrees for the celebration in Seattle -- and much colder outside the metro.

New Year’s Day will be cold enough for snow and it does look like a quick inch of snow for most locations away from the metro before it dries up, Kelly said. Expect the roads to be icy much of next week.

"It looks about the same as what we went through 10 days ago," said Kelley. "Sunny and cold with everyone in the 20s at night and some teens. A cold start to 2017."