Chances For Lowland Snow In Washington Forecast In Late January

SEATTLE — A shot at "impactful lowland snow" is in the cards for late January, with temperatures poised to dip below-normal across Western Washington, and a chance they could drop considerably, according to the National Weather Service.

The potential for flurries over Puget Sound will begin next Thursday, Jan. 21, and continue until Wednesday, Jan. 27, according to long-term forecasts. In a briefing, the National Weather Service said forecasters had yet to identify specific dates where snow was more or less likely to occur, but the Climate Prediction Center's 14-day outlook showed some favorable odds.

"Confidence is high that temperatures will be below normal during this period," NWS Seattle wrote Wednesday. "In fact, there is a 20% chance of temperatures being MUCH colder than normal. There is less confidence in the precipitation outlook. However, even drier than average conditions during a period of below-normal temperatures in January can result in impactful lowland snow across Western Washington and other portions of the Pacific Northwest."

More details on the likelihood, timing and placement of potential snowfall will be shared as forecasters gain certainty in the days to come. In the short term, generally calmer weather is expected to persist through Sunday, on the heels of one of the wettest starts to any year on record. A pair of mild weather systems are forecast to bring periods of light rain through the weekend.

For the first half of next week, forecasters predict a gradual decline in temperatures, but there is no indication of significant weather systems through Wednesday. In the Seattle area, afternoon temperatures are forecast in the high 40s to low 50s over the next few days, with lows dropping from the low 40s to mid-30s by Monday.