Rain, wind or snow: Here’s what to expect from the next strong weather system
A storm arriving Friday and lasting into Sunday morning will bring heavy rain to the lowlands, snow to the mountains and a tempest to the coast, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle.
A preview to the storm begins Thursday evening.
The wind will be strongest along the ocean but strong winds may extend inland to areas south of Olympia. Forecasters said wind gusts could reach up to 40 miles per hour in Tacoma and Olympia Thursday night and up to 45 miles per hour on the coast. Windy conditions will continue Friday.
The Weather Service reminds residents to be wary of falling limbs and trees and resulting power outages.
The snow level in the Cascades will be between 2,500 and 3,500 feet. Expect winter driving conditions.
Tacoma residents should expect up to 1 inch of rain Thursday night through Saturday morning. Olympia residents might see up to 1 1/2 inches. Coastal residents could get hit with 3 inches, the Weather Service said.
Thunderstorms were possible on the coast and in the South Sound Thursday through Friday, the Weather Service said. The state Department of Transportation closed both Chinook and Cayuse passes for the winter on Friday.
Residents as well as visiting storm watchers should use caution in the vicinity of high surf and large ocean waves. A coinciding King Tide will produce unusually high seas. Waves can turn logs and other large driftwood into battering rams.
There will be a brief respite on Sunday and then another system hits western Washington on Monday and continues into Wednesday.
This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 4:18 PM.
