Temperatures Tumble As Rain Tapers Off: Puget Sound Forecast

SEATTLE — After a double-dose of rain and wind courtesy of the Pineapple Express, Western Washington has finally earned itself a little time to dry off and chill out. Temperatures dropped nearly 10 degrees in 20 minutes as the cold front arrived Monday afternoon.

Things could feel downright wintry Tuesday and Wednesday morning, especially compared to the unseasonably warm temperatures of recent days. On Monday, Seattle tied its record high for Nov. 15, hitting 62 degrees at Sea-Tac Airport by the end of the morning commute. By contrast, Tuesday looks unlikely to crack 50 degrees even by the afternoon.

The abrupt drop in temperatures also brought snow levels down considerably, and the mountain passes are looking at quite a bit of fresh powder into Tuesday.

"The heaviest snow is expected for Stevens Pass with the convergence zone setting up in that area," NWS Seattle wrote Monday afternoon. "Amounts of 12 - 18" will be possible through Tuesday at Stevens Pass, with lighter amounts at Snoqualmie Pass of 5 - 9". Prepare for winter conditions over the pass through Tuesday."

For the lowlands, Tuesday night may be the chilliest in a while, with overnight temperatures forecast at 34 degrees in Seattle and dipping just below freezing around Tacoma and Olympia.

While it will be cold, sunshine is in the forecast through at least Wednesday, before rain showers return to cap off the week.

Flood watch ends Tuesday afternoon, and a recap of Monday's storm

Though the bulk of the rough weather has passed, a flood watch remains in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday for portions of Western Washington, including King, Snohomish, Clallam, Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties.

The main areas of concern were well north of Seattle, and forecasters expected the Skagit River at Mount Vernon would crest at a record high Tuesday afternoon.

Wind speeds started to decline Monday afternoon and will continue to ease Tuesday, after a day that brought gusts above 40 mph across the region.

Here are a few of the highest gusts recorded Monday by the National Weather Service:

• Mount Baker: 93 mph
• Crystal Mountain: 92 mph
• Whidbey Island NAS: 63 mph
• Snoqualmie Pass: 61 mph
• Sea-Tac Airport: 58 mph
• Olympia: 55 mph
• Bellingham: 49 mph
• Puyallup: 48 mph
• Bellevue: 47 mph
• Renton: 45 mph

Up in Whatcom County, a mudslide blocked Interstate 5 near Bellingham, and several vehicles were hit. Washington State Patrol said the roadway would remain closed into Tuesday, due to flooding and lingering slide concerns.

Another scary scene developed over the Deception Pass Bridge, where wind gusts tipped a semi-truck onto the railing.

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