A month into spring, the Puget Sound region is experiencing February-like weather, with high temperatures in the upper 40s and overnight lows dipping toward freezing.

It normally gets up to about 60 this time of year, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle, and forecasters warned gardeners to take precautions to protect any ornamentals or vegetables they’ve planted early.

Light snow fell in parts of Tacoma late Friday afternoon, and there was a chance of as much as an inch more overnight.

It was the latest spring snowfall here since 1972, according to Weather Service meteorologist Johnny Burg.

Snow also visited the northern suburbs of Seattle on Friday – including more than two inches in the Everett area – and it dumped in the Cascades, where more snow is forecast through the weekend.

The state Department of Transportation reported that crews may need to perform avalanche control on the mountain passes, depending on conditions.

“Drivers heading over the passes this weekend should allow more time to get to their destinations and prepare for winter driving conditions,” said Al Minerich, Snoqualmie Pass maintenance superintendent for the state Department of Transportation.

The latest blast of winterlike weather arrived in the form of a “very cold upper-level low pressure system” that moved down the Washington coast from Canada, the Weather Service reported.

The low temperatures are expected to hang around through the middle of next week in the South Sound region, although any precipitation is expected to fall as rain. That includes today, when there is a 50 percent chance of rain showers.

Warmer temperatures are on the horizon, though. The Weather Service is calling for a high of 60 and partly sunny skies on Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.