Unusual train of snowstorms to keep targeting Seattle into next week

By Kristina Pydynowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

After a winter’s worth of snow brought major disruptions to the Seattle area to start the weekend, the unusual train of snowstorms will continue into next week with record cold bringing more hazards.

The biggest snowstorm since February 2017 brought 6-10 inches to the area from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning.

That includes 7.9 inches at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The last snowstorm of that magnitude slammed Seattle in early February 2017, when the airport recorded 7.1 inches. With a total of 10.6 inches, this month is now the city's snowiest February since 1949.

Around 4 inches covered Portland, Oregon, earlier this weekend.

As the snowstorm shifts and makes travel difficult to impossible on I-5’s Donner Summit this weekend and returns snow and slippery travel to Salt Lake City to end the weekend, winter will not release its grip on the Northwest.

Bitter cold will have all residents in the Northwest shivering on Saturday night as temperatures plunge 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit below normal, even along the coast.

Some record lows will be challenged, including in Seattle and Portland.

Temperatures may drop under 20 F at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for the first time since Dec. 2013. That would shatter the record low of 24 F from 1982.

The cold will be dangerous for those left without power in the wake of the early weekend snowstorm. The homeless should be urged to head to warming shelters.

Residents are reminded to limit time pets spend outside amid the cold, while farmers should ensure their livestock have proper means to stay warm.

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"Bitter cold and biting winds will keep AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures below zero into Saturday night across the eastern half of Washington," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.

RealFeel Temperatures will be held to the teens around Seattle.

The cold will set the stage for not one but at least two more snow events for the Northwest, including Seattle.

"On the heels of the early weekend storm, another can impact Washington later Sunday into Sunday night," Pydynowski said. "That can bring the possibility of another 1-2 inches to the Seattle area."

As quick as this snow event ends, the next in the storm train may follow and target Seattle with 3-6 inches Monday afternoon through Tuesday.

Residents will be faced with more major disruptions to travel and daily routines, including an extended stretch of school closures.

Motorists should prepare for slippery to slow and difficult travel. Even when there is a break in the snow on Monday morning, slick conditions can plague commuters as crews work to clear roads.

Flight delays and cancellations can mount during the Monday evening commute as the snow sweeps back across the city.

Travel hazards and disruptions will not just be limited to Seattle and surrounding areas. The rounds of snow into early week can also target Portland, Bend and Pendleton, Oregon; and Yakima and Spokane, Washington.

Download the free AccuWeather app to know how much snow is expected in your community.

Those planning to drive along I-90’s Snoqualmie Pass in Washington and I-5’s Siskiyou Summit should prepare for difficult travel and potential restrictions.

The upcoming storms can produce less wind and blowing snow in Washington as the gusty winds and added travel hazards focus on areas from Oregon and Northern California to southern Idaho.

More cold and record-challenging lows can follow around midweek as western Washington and northwestern Oregon catch a break from the onslaught of winter storms.

However, there can be yet another snow or wintry mix event for the Seattle area if the cold remains in place when another storm arrives later next week.

It is not rare for snow to fall in Seattle during the winter months, but it is rare to have multiple storms bring high amounts of snow over a short period of time.

"The snowstorm spanning Friday night to Saturday morning was the second of this month in Seattle," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson. The first week of February started with 3-8 inches of snow in the Seattle area.

"Now the city will experience a third and then a fourth storm later this weekend into early week," Anderson stated. "I do not remember a pattern like this."

Typically, Seattle receives two to three snow events a year, or about 7 inches of snow annually. However, this can vary from little or no snow in some years to more than a foot in snowier winters.

By the middle of the new week, the snow total for this winter in Seattle may be over 14 inches. That would make this the snowiest winter at the city's airport since 2008-09, when a total of 22.0 inches fell.

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