High winds expected in East Pierce County as freezing temps linger. When will it warm up?
Hunker down if you can, Tacoma, forecasters say the freezing weather that hit the Puget Sound area this week will linger through the weekend, with overnight wind chills close to zero degrees.
Temperatures were as low as 17 degrees early Saturday morning in the Tacoma area, according to the National Weather Service, and tonight’s weather is predicted to be just as cold. Warmer days are ahead, but forecasts say temperatures will stay at or below freezing until Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
A high wind warning is in effect until 10 p.m. for Pierce County’s eastern lowlands, including Bonney Lake and surrounding areas. Easterly winds are expected to pick up in the afternoon, hitting speeds of 35 to 50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph. And near Buckley, a wind chill advisory has been issued until 6 a.m. Sunday. Wind chills could be as low as 15 below zero.
Wind chill in the Tacoma area was predicted to be just 3 degrees Friday night, but the NWS said it’s tough to predict what wind chills will look like through the rest of the weekend.
The high winds likely mean more power outages due to downed trees and power lines, according to Pierce County government. Residents were advised to keep a flashlight and batteries handy along with an emergency kit in your vehicle if travel is a must.
Warming shelters are open throughout the Tacoma area while the extreme cold sticks around. With temps so low, frostbite can occur within 30 minutes. The NWS says areas most prone to frostbite are uncovered skin and a person’s hands and feet.
Temperatures will slowly begin to warm Sunday with a high of 32 degrees. Forecasts say it will continue to get warmer into next week, with temperatures hitting the low 40s by Wednesday.
Snow likely won’t stick this far north, but there may be some snowflakes in the air. The weather service said there’s just a four percent chance of Tacoma getting an inch of the white stuff Saturday night. Precipitation is spreading south, with accumulating snow expected in Lewis County.
Precipitation is expected to return to the Tacoma area by Tuesday, with a chance of snow in late morning and early afternoon, followed by a 60 percent chance of rain as temperatures climb. Rain will continue into Wednesday.
