SEATTLE — A Winter Storm Warning has replaced a Winter Weather Advisory for the western slopes of the North Cascades and passes.
Heavy snow is possible at or above 4,000 feet elevation, according to the National Weather Service. Total snow accumulations of up to 24 inches are possible.
The Storm Warning expires at 4 p.m. Thursday.
A Wind Advisory for most of the inland and south Puget Sound area expired at 4 a.m. Wednesday. It expired at 8 a.m. for areas in the north Sound, including Mount Vernon, Sedro-Woolley, Burlington and Bellingham, and some areas on the water like Port Townsend, Friday Harbor and Anacortes.
Wind speeds were expected to be strong enough to blow down trees and power lines, with possible power outages.
The National Weather Service recorded peak winds of nearly 70 miles per hour on the peninsula early Wednesday morning, with the peak speed in Hoquiam reaching 66 mph. Olympia reached a peak speed of 54, Whidbey Island reached a peak speed of 51 and Bellingham saw windspeeds in the mid-40s, reaching 46 mph when the measurements were recorded around 1 a.m.
A Flood Warning is currently in effect for the Skokomish River at Potlach in Mason County. Around 2 to 4 inches of rain are expected to fall on the Olympic Peninsula, leading to the potential for moderate flooding in some residential areas. The river is expected to crest at 17.8 feet late Wednesday morning, falling below flood stage by Thursday afternoon.
Isolated thunderstorms are possible along the Pacific coast through early Thursday, with the potential to bring small hail, lightning and brief, heavy downpours.