Stormy weekend on tap as rain, wind, and heavy mountain snow hits the Northwest

SEATTLE - There's a lot to talk about this weekend! Stormy conditions will take over the forecast delivering rain, wind and heavy mountain snow. Plus, there is a slight chance of coastal thunderstorms and possibly freezing rain too.  

Be prepared as you head out the door by downloading our FOX 13 Weather App. It's free, and will help you plan your day hour by hour, so you know what to expect around the region. 

Our big weather maker moves through the area Saturday exiting by the afternoon, but conditions will remain unsettled through Sunday. The coast may see a few thunderstorms pop up. Stay tuned! 

With a powerful system like this pushing through, a "Winter Storm Warning" is in effect for the mountains. We're forecasting up to three feet of snow in some areas. Pass travel will be extremely difficult at times. Gusty winds will cause blowing of snow, making for reduced visibility.

Here's a look at how Saturday shapes up as the storm spreads rain across the region:

Snow levels will fluctuate between 3,000' to 3,500' before dropping Sunday to 1,000'. Again use caution when traveling through the mountains. 

Now to the winds! Most of Western WA from the coast to the foothills of the Cascades are under a wind alert. The Coast, Islands, and North Sound will see the strongest gusts up to 60 mph under a "High Wind Warning". The rest of the region is under a "Wind Advisory" for gusts up to 50 mph at times. These winds may cause tree limbs to come down with power outages in areas. Make sure to secure your outdoor holiday decorations along with those garbage cans.  

And because so much rain will fall some area rivers could see some minor flooding. We are watching the Skokomish River in Mason County and the Newaukum River in Lewis County. Both rivers are under a "Flood Watch" through Saturday night. 

We will start the week with scattered showers on and off at times. As we push towards the middle of the week snow levels start to drop again to near 400' so we may see a few snowflakes mixing into the higher elevations of the lowlands. Overnight temperatures will be cooler than average (37), falling to near freezing and only warming to near 40 by the end of the day.  So any snow that falls won't stick around as we warm up. Plus, showers will taper off leaving us with drier conditions. 

Have a great weekend! ~Erin Mayovsky, FOX 13 Forecaster

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