SEATTLE — Several systems are forecasted to pass through the region over the span of the next week bringing rain, gusty winds and mountain snow to western Washington.
Here's what you should know.
Timeline: When each system will arrive
The first system will be the weakest of the three. It will drive a front into the area late Friday and into Saturday, but the front is expected to stall and weaken.
A band of steady rain will set up over the Olympic Peninsula, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the North Interior Friday night and early Saturday. It will gradually spread to the east and southeast toward Puget Sound during the day and evening on Saturday.
While rain totals with the first system will be less than 0.75" for most, the northwestern coast may pick up over 0.75". Snow levels will be above 5,500', which means that the passes will experience mainly rain on Saturday and early Sunday.
The second system will begin to move into the region Sunday and into Monday. We can expect increasing rain, including pockets of moderate to heavy rain, during the day on Sunday before rain tapers to off-and-on showers on Monday. There is a slight chance for a few thunderstorms during the day on Monday. Additionally, winds will be gusty at times, especially for the North Interior and the coast.
As of now, snow levels are expected to stay relatively high, mainly in the 5,000-6000' range before dropping down to around 4,500' on Monday.
The third system will send moderate to heavy rain, gusty winds, and heavy mountain snow (mainly above 4,500') into western Washington late Tuesday into Wednesday. Snow levels will be in the 3,500-4,500' range, which means accumulating snow is expected in Stevens Pass and potentially in Snoqualmie Pass.
Potential rain totals
Seven day rain totals look to be around 2-3" for Puget Sound with locally higher amounts likely. Meanwhile, over the Olympic Peninsula and mountains, rain totals will likely be over 5", which means we may need to watch out for river rises.
