Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The state of Washington has been hit by a major snowstorm as Seattle recorded more than half a foot of snow by Saturday morning, topping the city's yearly average.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reported 6.4 inches of snow Friday and 7.9 inches by 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. The city averages about an inch less than that annually, NWS meteorologist Jacob DeFlitch told The Seattle Times.

It was the second-largest snowfall recorded in one day in the past 20 years, only exceeded by 6.8 inches on Jan. 18, 2012, according to the NWS. It's also the fourth time the region has had 6 inches of snow in one day since 1991. The most snow in one day at the airport was 20 inches on Jan. 13, 1950.

Elsewhere, 21.5 inches were reported along the Port Angeles foothills and 10.7 inches in the city. Eighteen inches were tallied in Agnew, 16 inches in Sequim and 11 inches in Port Orchard.

The NWS calculated 2.5 inches of new snow equates to 0.15 inches of liquid. "That's quite fluffy by Seattle standards," the NWS tweeted.

And more snow is on the way.

More than 15 million people across the Western United States were under winter storm alerts Saturday morning, according to CNN meteorologist Haley Brink.

"Everyone in our state needs to focus on preparing for the snow and staying safe," Inslee said in a statement. "Weather forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years. I encourage everyone to stay off the roads if possible and plan ahead if you must travel."

Residents are also dealing with gusty winds and cold temperatures.

"Winds gusting to 30-40 mph across most of Washington will cause blowing and drifting of snow to continue, especially east of the Cascades, on Saturday," Dan Pydynowski, an AccuWeather senior meteorologist said.

Gusts could reach 60 mph in the northern Puget Sound and Olympic region.

Seattle's high is forecast for 35 degrees Fahrenheit with the normal high 49 degrees, CNN's Brink said. The windchill would feel like it's in the teens.

The weather is creating treacherous road conditions as local law enforcement urged people to stay off the roads.

Officials shut down a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 90 east of Ellensburg due to blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility.

The Interstate-5 corridor, including Siskiyou Summit in Oregon, will be difficult to use.

In Washington, more than 60,000 people were without power, including more than 22,000 in Thurston County, according to Poweroutage.us as of 11 a.m. Saturday.

Earlier this week, about half a foot of snow hit some area of Seattle from an earlier snowstorm. </s> This post was originally published on this site

U.S. NEWS Winter storm dumps record snow on Seattle, Pacific Northwest with more to come https://linewsradio.com/winter-storm-dumps-record-snow-on-seattle-pacific-northwest-with-more-to-come/ http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/

ABC News(SEATTLE) — A potent storm brought heavy snow to parts of the Pacific Northwest on Friday, including the lowland areas of the Seattle metropolitan area. This was the second round of snow the region has seen this week.

Radar on Saturday morning is showing numerous bands of heavy snow in the Seattle metro area with snowfall rates greater than 1 inch per hour occurring in some areas. Some snow is also falling toward Portland, Oregon

Seattle has already received 6.4 inches of snow at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. This was a new daily record and the second-most snowfall in a single day in the past 20 years. It was also the most snow Seattle has received in a single day since 2012.

The storm will slide south during Saturday and bring some snow to Oregon and Northern California. The storm then will slide inland later Saturday and bring snow to the northern Rockies on Sunday and early Monday.

In Seattle, most of the snow will end during the day on Saturday, while heavy mountain snow will begin to pick up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains late Saturday.

Seattle could pick up a couple more inches of snow Saturday morning before the heaviest snow winds down. Meanwhile the heavy snow will move south and east. In the higher elevations of southern Washington and Oregon 3 to 6 inches of snow will fall, with locally up to 1 foot in the highest elevations.

The storm will combine with another system lurking near California to enhance the snowfall in the Sierra Nevadas over the weekend. Locally, 5 feet of additional snowfall will fall in the mountains this weekend.

After a week where the Northeast got several tastes of spring, it is back to February across the region.

Wind chills on Saturday morning are in the single digits across the Northeast after temperatures were in the 40s and 50s on Friday. This same arctic blast is bringing wind chills 30 below zero to parts of Minnesota and North Dakota.

A new storm will quickly develop in the central U.S. on Sunday and tap into some moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The moisture interacting with the colder air will cause light snow to spread from Minneapolis to Pennsylvania during the day on Sunday. Meanwhile, heavy rain will move into the Tennessee and Mississippi valleys.

Another storm will develop right behind that one and bring a round of snow from the Midwest to the Northeast by Monday and Tuesday. This next storm looks a little stronger and taps into a little bit more moisture.

The result could be 2 to 4 inches of rain in the Mississippi River Valley, which could cause some flash flooding by Monday. Locally, 2 to 4 inches of snow will fall through Monday in parts of the Upper Midwest. And locally 1 to 3 inches of snow will fall in parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic through Monday.

However, it remains somewhat unclear what this storm does on Tuesday and Wednesday. There is some indication the storm will continue to strengthen and interact with another system in the Atlantic. The result could amplify the snowfall totals in both the Midwest and parts of New England by Tuesday and Wednesday. </s> Some areas around Seattle received more than 10 inches of snow Saturday, the most in 70 years, the National Weather Service said, and more is on the way two more storm systems close in on the area. The National Weather Service said the first storm system is expected to arrive in the area Sunday night with light accumulation, and the second system will push through Monday and continue into Tuesday.Meanwhile, cold temperatures are expected in the region overnight Saturday, with temperatures dropping to 15-20 degrees and the wind chill in the single digits.The National Weather Service saidNearly 8 inches of snow fell at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, where hundreds of flights were cancelled, CBS News' Carter Evans reports. The storm obscured the famous Space Needle and left a blanket of snow over some very iconic locations, like Pike Place Market. Heavy snow did do some damage in Yosemite National Park, where they got up to two feet in some areas.In Tacoma, hundreds of people turned out for a snowball fight in a park after someone who lives nearby suggested it on Facebook. They took cover behind picnic tables and used sleds as shields."This is a perfect morning to bundle up and play in the snow, but stay off the roads if possible," Gov. Jay Inslee wrote on Twitter.In central Washington, blowing snow and drifts 3 to 4 feet deep forced the closure of U.S. 2 and Interstate 90. The Grant County Sheriff's Office warned that snow drifts were blocking many roads. Airports in eastern Washington closed, and numerous car crashes were reported."Snow conditions are worsening minute to minute, so don't expect travel conditions to improve," the sheriff's office wrote.The National Weather Service said additional snow could fall Saturday, and another storm was expected early next week.About 180 people spent the night at an emergency shelter set up at Seattle Center, with officials going out again on Saturday to get other homeless residents to safety. Inslee declared a state of emergency over the storm. The state transportation department said crews had to clear several trees that had fallen across roads in the Tacoma area.In Portland, a tanker truck slid into a sport-utility vehicle on an interchange between Interstates 5 and 84 on Saturday, blocking the ramp for hours.Other parts of the country were also wrestling with difficult weather. Residents of Hawaii were bracing for coastal flooding amid extreme surf predictions. A California man died in rough waters off of Maui on Friday, Hawaii News Now reported.In California, m ore than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued Thursday after being trapped by up to 7 feet of snow in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.Another winter storm was on the way to the region.In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers lost power in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.In Washington, about 50,000 people lost power. In Seattle, snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.Residents in Portland and Seattle who are more accustomed to rain than snow waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast."I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.' " </s> The second snowstorm in week to hit the Seattle region snarled freeways, stalled bus routes and led Gov. Jay Inslee to declare a state of emergency on Friday.

Residents also made a dash to grocery stores, stocking up for the snowy weather that could stick around for days as temperatures are expected to linger around freezing.

In a warning ahead of the snowfall, King County Executive Dow Constantine called the intensity of the storm a “once every decade or two occurrence.” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan called it a “potentially very dangerous storm.”

“Our number-one goal is to keep people safe,” she said.

The snow came in waves Friday and is expected to accumulate 4 to 6 inches through the evening and into Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Evening rush hour came early in Seattle, as a mass exodus of commuters headed home early to beat the snow, congesting roads within and out of the city.

Commute times on common routes were double — and in some cases nearly triple — the usual about 3 p.m., according to the Washington Department of Transportation. Traffic was heavy or stop-and-go on Interstate 5 for much of the stretch between North Seattle and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Travel times started to improve about 4 p.m.

King County Metro buses, already running with reduced frequency, filled up and passed people at stops. Metro is operating with about 65 percent of its peak commute fleet, down from about 75 percent Wednesday, said spokeswoman Torie Rynning.

The snow, which began to fall around noon in Seattle, hadn’t yet stuck on major roads, although other parts of the state had already seen up to 8 inches.

Meteorologists had predicted up to 8 inches of snow in the Seattle area from Friday to Saturday. But now accumulation is expected to be around 4 to 6 inches from Everett to Seattle, and maybe even down to Tacoma, said weather service meteorologist Kirby Cook.

“Eight is still possible, but it’s looking less likely. That’s the worst-case scenario,” Cook said. “The area of real concern is the Port Angeles, Port Townsend area of the northern peninsula. They’re going to be the hardest hit.”

Parts of the northern Olympic Peninsula had already seen up to 8 inches of snow by 3 p.m., and may get another 4 or 5 inches tonight, Cook said.

A winter storm warning is in effect for parts of Western Washington through 4 p.m. Saturday, although the weather service may revise that depending on conditions.

Heavy snowfall will continue through 9 p.m. and then begin to taper off, transitioning into lighter snow showers that could linger into Saturday morning, Cook said. The snow should end by Saturday afternoon, but drivers will be left with icy road conditions, as nighttime temperatures could drop into the teens this weekend, he said.

There’s a slight chance there will be more snow showers from Seattle southward Sunday and Monday, and then again Monday night into Tuesday, Cook said.

Even if that doesn’t occur, the snow from this weekend will likely stick around for a bit.

“It’s just going to get colder and things might refreeze,” Cook said. “It will stay cold through the weekend and into at least the middle of next week.” </s> A winter storm along America’s west coast has brought near record-breaking snowfall to cities such as Seattle and Portland, the second time in a week the region has been hit.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings from northern California to Washington state and west into Montana. The region is expected to receive more than 6in of snow, with more in the mountains.

Already, Seattle-Tacoma airport saw the second highest snowfall ever for a single day, at 6.4in, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters expect the snowstorms to continue into next week.

Washington’s governor, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency because of the storms on Friday evening. More than 170 flights have been canceled into and out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

Seattle rarely sees large winter storms. In 2016, writers from the sunny Los Angeles Times dubbed the city “snow wimps”, writing that Seattle “always marched unarmed into its infrequent battles with snow”.

The worst winter storm on record to hit the region was in 1916, when 38in of snow paralyzed the city for days and caused the collapse of a historic dome on St James Cathedral, according to the Seattle Times.

In addition to massive traffic delays, the wintry weather has also resulted in at least one life threatening situation. In Edgewood, Washington, just south of Seattle, local sheriffs rescued a young woman who fell through the ice on a pond while walking her dog. Both were rescued.

Chilly temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend. </s> Seattle, Washington -- There was an unusual sight at the world-famous Pike Place Market in Seattle Saturday morning: about 4 inches of snow on the ground already. Two to six more inches of snow were in the forecast as a winter storm pounded the state.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency Friday for the entire state and urged people to stay off the roads. People cleared grocery store shelves as they rushed to prepare.

One county official warned the storm could be a "once every decade or two occurrence," CBS News' Carter Evans reported.

As it moved it, the storm obscured Seattle's famous Space Needle from sight. In the city's Queen Anne neighborhood Friday night, one bus had to bail off its route after it got stuck on a snow-covered street. Some roads were closed completely overnight Friday into Saturday.

More than six inches of snow fell at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. At least 200 flights were canceled to accommodate the winter weather, and a snowball fight unfolded between workers on the tarmac.

More flight cancellations are expected out of Seattle Saturday. By early morning, 80 were already canceled.

Conditions are likely to let up later in the day, but another storm system is expected to push across the area late Sunday. That system could bring even more snow. </s> SEATTLE (AP) — A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation’s latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

“Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we’ve seen in many years,” he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet (2 meters) of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles (13 kilometers) of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

“Doesn’t matter where you’re going, expect it to take a very. long. time,” the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

“This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now,” he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn’t have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn’t fazed by the forecast.

“I love it. I’m excited about it,” she said of the snow. “I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they’re not so used to it. It’s like, ‘Use your brain! If you don’t have to go out, don’t go out.'”

AP journalists Amanda Lee Myers in Los Angeles and Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report. </s> SEATTLE — There are several inches of snow in the forecast Friday night.

Most of the snow will stop by 4 a.m. Saturday.

Most of the Seattle metro area is expected to get about four inches of snow, but there will be some bigger numbers near Highway 101 from Shelton to Port Angeles. Areas that get the most snow include the foothills, the convergence zone and the Hood Canal.

Remember, “micro climates” will have six or more inches. The Fraser River outflow started at 2 p.m. Howling winds from the north will make it feel really cold, but that air is a little drier, so less snow is expected in the north tonight.

Saturday will have less snow, but it will be very windy for all. Snow and ice are here to stay through the weekend, with the next round of snow coming Sunday.
• Download the free Q13 News app to be alerted to severe weather
• Sign up for custom Q13 Forecasts and Severe Weather Alerts in your inbox
• Subscribe to the Q13 News All Local newsletter delivered every morning
• Get the latest traffic information here </s> A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation's latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

"Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years," he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet (2 meters) of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles (13 kilometers) of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

"Doesn't matter where you're going, expect it to take a very. long. time," the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

"This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now," he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast.

"I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.'"
Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area receive 10 inches (25 cm) of snow, the most in 70 years.