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Rain, mountain snow return Thursday
Clouds will be around to start the day, but showers will increase starting at the coast Thursday morning.
After an extended period of quiet weather, we're forecasting an exceptionally busy, active first week of December.
For today, you can plan on cloudy skies, highs in the low to mid 40s and the return of light lowland rain and mountain snow. Minor accumulations are expected at the passes during the daytime today.
Overnight, there's a tiny chance for a minor rain/snow mix in the lower elevations; however, snow levels will probably hover closer to 1,500 or 2,000 feet in elevation.
Mountain snow ramps up in a major way Friday and Saturday. Between two and three feet of snow could accumulate over the Cascades, including the passes. It's easy to see why the National Weather Service has posted a Winter Storm Warning for the Cascades above 2,000 feet in elevation from 4 a.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Sunday. Winds could gust to 40-50 mph. Over the Olympics, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for that same time frame for between ten and 16 inches of snow.
Wind will be another ingredient in our weather story going forward. It'll be blustery Friday with gusts generally ranging between 20-30 mph, but stronger winds arrive late Friday into early Saturday. Some gusts could be in excess of 40 mph, particularly over the typically windy spots. We'll watch that closely.
A note: sneaker waves are possible over the South Washington Coast from late Friday through late Monday evening.
This round of impressive mountain snow Friday and Saturday (which is very welcomed at the ski resorts!) will unfortunately be followed by multiple atmospheric river events Sunday and beyond. The warmer temperatures and drenching rain will melt and wash away a lot of the recently-fallen snow. We'll have to watch local rivers for potential flooding concerns. We also need to monitor burn scars for any worries about debris flows. There could also be localized urban flooding next workweek, too.
It's an honor and privilege forecasting for you. Stay tuned to our weather reports in the coming days for continuous updates.
We appreciate you so much,
Meteorologist Abby Acone
Follow me on X @abbyacone, Instagram @abbyaconewx, TikTok @abbyaconetv and Facebook (Meteorologist Abby Acone)