The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a “Flood Watch” weather advisory, effective from Saturday afternoon (Dec. 11th) through Monday afternoon (Dec. 13th).

Between 1 to 3 inches of rain are being predicted for western Washington lowlands, so you may want to take some precautionary measures like clearing nearby storm drains or placing sandbags if you have an area prone to flooding.

Here’s the full statement, released at 4:16am on Friday, Dec. 10th:

… Flood Watch in effect from Saturday afternoon through Monday afternoon…

* Flood Watch for portions of western Washington… including the following counties… Grays Harbor… Clallam… island… Jefferson… San Juan… Skagit… Whatcom… King… Kitsap… Lewis… Mason… Pierce… Snohomish… Thurston.

* From Saturday afternoon through Monday afternoon

* heavy rain… accompanied by snow levels around 8000 feet… will develop Saturday night and continue through Sunday night. At this time it is impossible to say exactly how much rain will fall and what places will get the most rain. Generally speaking… storm totals of 1 to 3 inches are likely for the western Washington lowlands… with 3 to 8 inches over the mountains. A Flood Watch is in effect for every County in western Washington.

* Some rivers seem certain to flood… including the skokomish in Mason County… the tolt in King County… and the Puyallup river near Orting in Pierce County. The flood potential on other rivers depends on where exactly the heaviest rain falls.

* Rivers facing at least a moderate threat of flooding include the Satsop and Chehalis rivers in Lewis and Grays Harbor counties…the Nooksack Skagit stillaguamish Snohomish Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers flowing off the north Cascades… and the Deschutes Cowlitz and Skookumchuck flowing off the central Cascades.

* Even small streams could overflow their banks if rain is heavy enough. Urban flooding where drainage is poor is also a possibility.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Flood Watch means conditions are favorable for flooding but flooding is not imminent or occurring. Monitor the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service and be ready to act quickly if flooding is observed or a warning is issued.

The National Weather Service released a “Winter Weather Advisory” just before Noon on Sunday, Nov. 21st, with a warning for possible snow showers in the greater Seattle/Tacoma/Everett area through Monday evening.

As if to prove just how tough it is to predict weather with much accuracy, this latest advisory goes against the previous ‘statement,’ which indicated that the only snow in the area would be between Olympia and Portland.

An increase in cold and wind is predicted for Monday, so be sure to wrap and winterize your outside pipes.

We’ve already seen some light flurries in Burien, have you? Please leave a Comment below or if you get any good pics, email us!

Here’s the full advisory:

Statement as of 11:57 AM PST on November 21, 2010

… A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect through Monday evening…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for snow showers. Windy weather will also develop by Monday afternoon and evening.

* Affected locations… include the greater Seattle Tacoma Everett Metro area.

* Accumulations… snow accumulations will be localized today… but 1 or 2 inches are possible… mainly north and east of Seattle. Scattered snow showers or flurries are expected tonight. 1 to 3 inches of snow is forecast for Monday. Stay tuned to updated forecasts as the weather system for Monday develops.

* Wind… breezy northerly winds of 15 to 25 mph will develop this evening… then diminish again through Monday morning. However Monday afternoon should see the north wind rising to 20 to 30 mph with local gusts to 40 mph. Temperatures will fall Monday afternoon and night… with wind chill temperatures in the teens Monday evening.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Winter Weather Advisory means that winter weather will cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities… and use caution while driving. Carry warm clothes if driving in case of travel delays.

Two advisories were released Friday (Dec. 4th) – by the National Weather Service and King County, warning of “Arctic air” moving in as well as the possibility of “slick driving conditions” this weekend as temps drop down into the low 30s and upper 20s.

Sadly for most school-aged children, no snow is in the forecast (sorry kids…).

First, the National Weather Service’s “Special Weather Statement” released at 4:46pm 12/4:

… Cold weather to continue into next week for western Washington…

A secondary and stronger surge of cold air will filter into western Washington late this weekend. Temperatures will continue to run well below normal into late next week as Arctic high pressure slides south in western Canada allowing modified Arctic air into the area. High temperatures will remain in the 30s through most of next week with low temperatures well below freezing.

Snow showers are possible Saturday night as an upper low passes over the region. No accumulations are expected… except perhaps light accumulations for the northern shores of the Olympic peninsula where an upslope component and moisture picked up over the northern interior waters may produce accumulating snows late Saturday night and Sunday morning. Windy conditions will develop  Saturday evening through the first half of Sunday for the northern interior and Strait of Juan de Fuca as Fraser outflow increases.

And here’s King County’s warning on road conditions (link to the county’s road condition map here):

King County Road Alert Spotlight

The King County Road Services Division is alerting motorists of the possibility of slick driving conditions as temperatures cool and roads remain wet.

A brief rain shower that moved through parts of the county this afternoon may leave just enough moisture on some roadways to cause slick driving conditions tonight.

While many roads in unincorporated King County have been treated with anti-icing materials, motorists should still be on the lookout for icy stretches of roadway, especially in higher elevation areas and on bridges and overpasses.

If you are traveling tonight or early tomorrow morning, use extra caution and be prepared for winter driving.

And one more weather-related blurb to share, this one from noted Meteorologist Cliff Mass’ Blog on Thursday, Dec. 3rd

You have delicate plants…protect them. When the winds die down on Monday morning the temperatures could plummet on the western side into the teens in some locations. Maybe even colder Tuesday am. Good weather for plumbers–could have some frozen and bursting pipes.

And watch the action offshore! As the cold air moves over the relatively warm water there will developing cumulus activity…including showers. There will be lines of convection…should be impressive.

Monday and Tuesday will be cold and sunny. That’s far enough to forecast…but remember…sometimes the most interesting weather happens when a cold spell ends. I won’t even mention that unspeakable four letter word: S**W. Don’t even think about it.

You know it’s November in the Northwest when another Weather Advisory gets posted – this one a “Wind Advisory” predicted to hit around 6pm Sunday night and continue for at least another 24 hours.

As usual, batten down your blue tarps Burien!

Here’s the statement, issued by the National Weather Service at 3:22pm Sunday, Nov. 15th:

Statement as of 3:22 PM PST on November 15, 2009

… Wind Advisory in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM PST Monday…

… High wind watch in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Wind Advisory… which is in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6 PM PST Monday. A high wind watch has also been issued. This high wind watch is in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon.

South winds of 25 to 35 mph with local gusts to 50 mph are expected to develop tonight and continue through much of the day Tuesday.

A deeper low is expected to move north through the coastal waters late Monday night and Tuesday. Widespread damaging winds of 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph are possible with this second deeper system.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Wind Advisory is issued when sustained winds of 30 to 39 mph or gusts of 45 to 57 mph are likely. Winds this strong can snap small tree branches… topple small or shallow-rooted trees… and cause local power outages.

A high wind watch means conditions are favorable for damaging winds. High winds can topple trees… down power lines… and damage some structures. People in the watch area should prepare for the possibility of power outages.

We haven’t seen one of these since July 29th, when the temps hit 104-degrees – an actual Weather Advisory – this time for quite the opposite: a cold/wet and “breezy” front to come in Saturday.

Consider yourselves warned, especially those of you planning on attending say, an outdoor wedding late Saturday afternoon:

… A cool and wet Labor Day weekend is expected across western Washington…

A cold front will move across western Washington on Saturday… bringing periods of rain… cooler… and breezy conditions. The front will be followed by an unseasonably cool and showery upper level trough Saturday night through Labor Day. Temperatures in The Lowlands Sunday and Labor Day will struggle to hit the lower 60s during the afternoon hours.

Snow levels in the mountains will be around 6000 feet Saturday night into Labor Day. Temperatures above 3500 feet will remain in
the 40s during the daytime hours. Cold temperatures will be accompanied by occasional showers and breezy conditions.

People planning travel into the mountains this weekend should be prepared for fall-like conditions. Dress warm and take rain gear. Hypothermia can occur with these expected conditions.

Need further evidence to get your rain coat out? Local celeb Meteorologist Cliff Mass talks about this weather event on his blog here.

Photo courtesy Gregory Rehmke.

The National Weather Service has released an “Excessive Heat Warning” along with an “Air Stagnation Advisory,” and while it may not be hot enough to cook an egg on the sidewalk (but if you do, email us a pic!), predictions are that the temps Wednesday and Thursday will hover around 100+, so be sure to stay cool, drink plenty of fluids and all the other common sense things one should do when it’s really hot.

Here’s the warning/advisory from the bigshot professional weatherpeeps:

Excessive Heat Warning, Air Stagnation Advisory
Statement as of 4:30 AM PDT on July 29, 2009

… Excessive heat warning remains in effect until 6 PM PDT Friday…
… Air stagnation advisory remains in effect until 6 PM PDT Friday…

An excessive heat warning remains in effect until 6 PM PDT Friday. An air stagnation advisory remains in effect until 6 PM PDT Friday.

Hot and humid conditions are expected to continue through Thursday. High temperatures from the upper 80s to 105 will be accompanied by rather humid conditions and only light breezes. Temperatures at night will remain quite warm… falling only into the 60s for a couple hours late at night in most places.

Record high temperatures will be widespread… and SeaTac Airport will likely tie or break its all time record high temperature of 100 degrees. While today is expected to be the hottest day overall… Thursday will be only a degree or two cooler in most locations.

Friday will be somewhat cooler as the low level flow turns onshore … but temperatures in the western Washington interior will still be well above normal with many spots in the upper 80s to mid 90s.

In addition… the stable air mass will limit dispersion of ozone pollutants and air quality will deteriorate.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

An excessive heat warning means that a prolonged period of dangerously hot temperatures will occur. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are likely. Drink plenty of fluids… stay in an air-conditioned room… stay out of the sun…and check up on relatives and neighbors.

If you are concerned about the buildup of pollutants… check with your local air quality agency for further information.

If you need ideas on how to stay cool during this weather, here’s some previous stories we’ve posted:

• Need To Cool Down? Run Through Sprinklers At Lake Burien
• School Park Twice A Day!
• Where To Cool Down During “Hotpocalypse ‘09″
• Tips To Stay Cool During “Hotpocalypse ‘09″
• ADVISORY: Heat Wave Coming Over Next Several Days

And if you need a visual to focus on as you meditate your way to coolness, here ya go:

As if our wild and wacky winter wasn’t enough, here comes a new “Special Weather Statement” from the National Weather Service that may just freeze your weekend gardening plans – in a nutshell, it’s gonna be COLD, so protect your plants (we suggest wrapping each one individually in a Snuggie Blanket with Sleeves:

Statement as of 4:40 AM PDT on April 03, 2009

… Record lows possible Saturday morning… Wet start to April…

The cold weather in March has extended into the first few days of April for western Washington. An upper level ridge will begin building over the area later today and tonight. With the ridge building skies will clear out across western Washington overnight into Saturday morning. A very cool air mass will still be in place over the area and with the clearing skies low temperatures Saturday morning could drop to below freezing in some locations with some record breaking lows possible.

The record low for Seattle is 31 degrees set in 1948. The record for Olympia is 26 degrees set in 2001.

The best chances for below freezing temperatures will be in the southwest interior.

Persons who may already have sensitive plants in the ground will want to take preventive measures to protect the plants.

In Seattle… record rainfall has been recorded at Seattle-Tacoma Airport on both the first and the second of the month. Total rainfall for the first two days of the month was 1.31 inches which is over half the monthly normal rainfall total of 2.59 inches. The only time in Seattle weather records that more rain has been recorded on the first two days of April was back in 1915 when 1.87 inches of rain was recorded. Records go back to 1891.