There is currently a blanket of 6 inches of snow in my back yard. 4 new inches have fallen in the past 6 hours, beginning at 1:00 pm today in Olympia, WA in the South Puget Sound. Consistently below freezing temperatures have prepped the ground and roadways for accumulations rarely seen throughout this region.
Some forecasts predict that areas around Seattle, Tacoma and the South Sound will see 16 inches of snow by Wednesday morning. This will present a challenge to a region where 30% of the economic activity is related to freight and shipping.
Source: NWS
The entire state of Oregon and all but two counties in the state of Washington are under some form of winter storm weather statement. All told, most of the populous Western United States will be experiencing some form of winter weather over the next week.
Source: NWS
The real threat is in the 10-day forecast as below freezing temperatures and continuing snowfall challenge local management agencies. Past Tuesday, Feb. 12, models are pointing to more snowfall and cold temperatures in the Pacific Northwest.