Snow began a transition to rain Friday morning. Warmer temps are expected into the weekend, but expect cooler weather next week.
What’s happening:
- The Seattle area got 1-3 inches of snow overnight. The snow began a transition to rain Friday morning.
- Forecasters expect temps into the lower 40s Friday afternoon. Frigid temps return next week.
- Seattle Public Schools delayed classes two hours. Lake Washington School District has canceled all classes.
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport recorded an inch of snow, making it the snowiest December there since 2013.
- The Seattle area became a snowy wonderland, well-documented by everyone on social media. Here are our favorite pics.
Forecast
A winter-weather system with light snow pushed over the Puget Sound region overnight, dumping 1-3 inches in the Seattle metro area.
The system, moving from south to north, traveled across the region in the late evening and early morning. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport recorded an inch of snow. Areas southwest of the city, such as near Olympia, received a heavier amount, totaling at least 3 inches.
But the expected transition from snow to rain Friday morning has already begun, said Dustin Guy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
“It’s already climbed above freezing in the Seattle area,” Guy said.
Temps on Friday should reach into the lower 40s. Meteorologists expected those conditions to repeat on Saturday, and again on Sunday with precipitation at least in the form of showers, according to the weather service’s seven-day outlook.
But the warmup will be short-lived as colder temps — in the 20s and 30s — reach the area early next week, Guy said.
[Where did the most snow fall? Here are totals from around Western Washington]
Traffic
Traffic through the Seattle area traffic remained mostly clear during the morning commute as many people took a snow day to avoid the slush. All travel times are below normal.
Here are some winter driving tips.
School delays
Seattle Public Schools announced classes will begin two hours late, with buses following snow routes. Preschool and head-start classes have been canceled, the district said. The school district said any necessary updates will be sent to parents via email and posted to the district’s social media accounts.
Lake Washington School District has canceled all classes.
Here’s a list of other closures and delays throughout Western Washington from KOMO.
Seattle Central College and South Seattle College have canceled classes before 10 a.m. The University of Washington’s Seattle campus is operating as normal.
King County Metro
Most bus routes are running on regular schedules Friday morning, but some outlying routes are either on snow routes or significantly delayed. Go here to check your bus.
Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reported no major issues Friday morning. Check with your airline for information on delays or cancellations.