Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Last updated 12:29 p.m. PT
The Cascades are in for a major blast of winter weather with up to 3 feet of new snow expected by Friday afternoon.
A nasty band of thunderstorms moved through the Seattle area at rushhour Wednesday morning, prompting a warning from the National Weather Service for central Snohomish County. That warning expired just before 9 a.m.
The storm system was capable of winds of 60 mp. Paine Field in Everett recorded gusts of 58 mph Wednesday morning.
It also carried heavy rain. Boeing Field had 0.4 of an inch between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday. Sea-Tac Airport had 0.25 of an inch.
Seattle City Light said about 4,000 customers in North Seattle lost power as the thunderstorms went through the area. A tree was blown into a power line, causing the outage.
Power was restored about 11 .m.
In a winter storm warning for the central and northern Cascades, the National Weather Service says more than 12 inches of snow could fall in 12 hours in some locations and more than 18 inches in 24 hours.
The North Cascades will get the most snow.
There were no travel restrictions early Wednesday morning on Stevens, Snoqualmie, Blewett or White passes. It was raining, snowing or both on the passes.
The snow level is at 5,000 feet, but an easterly wind will likely keep temperatures below freezing at the passes. That opens the possibility for spotty freezing rain on the passes Wednesday, forecasters said.
The snow level is expected to fall to 3,000 feet Thursday night and to 2,500 feet by Friday morning.
The Olympics have already been lashed by heavy rain. Up to 2.5 inches has fallen on south-facing slopes. And about an inch fell on the coast. The rainfall has prompted a flood advisory for the Skokomish River in Mason County. The river is expected to crest slightly below flood stage Wednesday morning.
Rain was also heavy in the Seattle area. Just before 4 a.m. Wednesday, Boeing Field reported 0.65 of an inch in 24 hours; Sea-Tac Airport reported 0.46 of an inch.
The threat of showers continues in Seattle on Wednesday: 90 percent during the day and 80 percent at night. Temperatures will be mild with a high of 52 degrees, according to the forecast.
There is also a 70 percent chance of showers Thursday in Seattle.
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