Move over, sunshine. Snow is looking increasingly likely for Western Washington’s lowlands
Snow in the lowlands of Western Washington is looking more likely by Saturday night and into next week as unseasonably cold temperatures continue throughout the region.
Forecast models are showing a 50% chance of at least 1 inch of snow starting Saturday or early Sunday, the National Weather Service said in an emailed briefing Monday afternoon.
Meteorologist Kayla Mazurkiewicz told The Bellingham Herald on Monday that several variables remain in play.
“We’re having a pattern change, especially toward the end of the week. (Snow) is a big question mark. It’s still a long ways off,” Mazurkiewicz said in a phone interview from Seattle.
That pattern change could include a Fraser Outflow, which brings frigid air from British Columbia into Western Washington, along with wind chills well below freezing, the weather service’s Reid Wolcott said online.
“By Sunday into next week, confidence is low in any details, but the overall trend is for even cooler temperatures and an increasing risk of snow. That said, the vast majority of solutions keep snowfall accumulations light,” Wolcott said.
Except for a brief warming period that starts Thursday, temperatures in Bellingham are expected to remain unseasonably cold.
Overnight low temperatures for Bellingham have been averaging 29.7 degrees in January, a figure that’s more than 4 degrees below the normal 34 degrees. Daytime highs are averaging 44.2 degrees against a normal 46.3 degrees, according to National Weather Service data.
A year ago, Bellingham was basking in daytime highs in the 50s and 60s.
This story was originally published January 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
