Cold & Drier Until Thursday: Puget Sound Forecast

SEATTLE — The weather should stay cloudy and cool into midweek, with just a few light showers in the forecast ahead of the next system rolling into Western Washington around Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Puget Sound was treated to another round of early-season snow over the weekend, including 2.6 inches logged at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Saturday, easily breaking the previous daily record of 1.1 inches set in 1994. Sunday was the South Sound's time to shine, when Bonney Lake, South Hill and Puyallup each picked up a couple inches of their own.

With 4.4 inches of snow logged in the Emerald City through Saturday, the Seattle Weather Blog reports this year boasts the sixth-snowiest start to winter on record, with more than two weeks to go before the solstice. On average, Seattle sees a little more than 6 inches of snow during an entire winter.

Most communities should catch a break in precipitation before more active weather sets up shop in Western Washington through the weekend. While more lowland accumulations appear unlikely, travelers headed over the Cascades can expect more snow.

"The mountains ought to pick up several inches of light snow in this pattern with the best chance of snow Tuesday afternoon and night," NWS Seattle wrote Monday. "If light precip does develop, the highest hills could see some wet flakes at first, but southerly surface winds will scour out remaining cool air, and the snow level will be lifting to 1,000 feet or more Tuesday afternoon, and 1,500 feet Tuesday night."

More widespread rain returns to the forecast Wednesday evening and is forecast to stick around into early next week. With overnight temperatures remaining chilly, there is a chance for at least a rain/snow mix Thursday evening and Friday morning, and again Saturday night and Sunday morning.

More action could be ahead, too. The Climate Prediction Center favors colder, wetter weather hanging on into the winter solstice.

Here is the five-day weather outlook for the Seattle area:

• Tuesday: 42°/39° (Chance of rain - 40%)
• Wednesday: 44°/40° (AM chance of rain/PM rain likely)
• Thursday: 43°/36° (Rain/PM rain & snow)
• Friday: 42°/36° (AM rain/snow, then rain)
• Saturday: 42°/35° (Rain/PM rain/snow likely)