Seattle weather: Mountain snow Tuesday, lowland flurries on Wednesday as temperatures drop

Temperatures expected to plunge

Wednesday afternoon temperatures will peak in the mid-40s as wind speeds slowly die down.

SEATTLE - Snow continues to pummel the mountains on Tuesday. Tuesday night into Wednesday, there's a chance for lowland snow. However, the possibility is super slight. Accumulations are unlikely for most.

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 4 p.m. today for the Cascades above 2,000 feet. Between six and 12 inches of additional snow could fall by this afternoon. Gusts to 35-45 mph will lead to blowing snow and dropping visibility. If you can postpone your travel over the passes until later this afternoon, that would be best. Avalanche danger remains high.

The worst of the winds is over for the day, but it could still be breezy. Winds increase Tuesday night over the North Sound and the San Juans where a Wind Advisory is posted from 10 tonight to 4 a.m. Thursday. In addition to seeing northeasterly gusts to 50 mph, wind chills will be brutal in these areas.

Along with the scattered lowland rain today, some lightning, small hail and graupel could mix with the showers. Here's a look at the difference between the two precipitation types:

Highs Tuesday will reach the mid to upper 40s under mostly cloudy skies.

Later Tuesday night as cold air gushes through the Fraser River Valley in British Columbia, a rain/snow mix can't be ruled out in the lowlands. A few pops of flurries could carry us into the overnight hours.

We may get a break from precipitation for several hours on Wednesday, but by the afternoon, lowland snow could fire up once again. It won't be super widespread across Puget Sound. The steadiest snow will likely happen over Southwest Washington, the Olympic Peninsula, the coast, Port Angeles and Sequim.

There's a Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 7 Tuesday night to 4 a.m. Thursday for the Olympics. Between six and eleven inches could stack up over the Olympic mountains. Between one and three inches could accumulate in Port Angeles and Sequim.

Check out Futurecast:

The other areas with the best chances for seeing snow will be along the Hood Canal, the Southwest Interior and the coast. While light snow is possible tonight and again Wednesday afternoon and evening elsewhere in Puget Sound, accumulations look super minimal. Most places may only see a light coating of snow on the ground (unless heavier bands set up). As with every weather event, the position, speed, track and strength of a storm system determines in the timing, impacts and totals.

A quick note for those who live along the coast: a High Surf Advisory is in effect until 4 a.m. Wednesday for the Central and North Coast. During this time, breaking waves of 19 to 23 feet could create dangerous swimming and localized beach erosion.

It'll be freezing on Thursday with highs only reaching the mid 30s! At least it will be sunny, but the North Sound could be dealing with gusty weather and brutal wind chills.

Quiet and frigid weather continues on Friday. Saturday should be mostly dry, rain or a rain/snow mix could return by the late evening. Rain or a rain/snow mix could be on-and-off until Monday. We'll watch it closely for you and keep you posted on all the latest developments.