‘Popcorn’ snow showers keep dappling Seattle; ice frosts Bellingham

A “hit or miss” snow pattern will stick around for much of the week in Western Washington, even if the flakes themselves might be fleeting.

Unofficially, close to an inch of snow was recorded at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport by Monday morning, said Harrison Rademacher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

That’s on top of less than an inch from Saturday into Sunday, he said.

The snow was more likely to stick north and south of the city, Rademacher said.

North Bellingham, along the outskirts of Canada’s chilly Fraser Valley, got up to 3 to 4 inches of snow, according to the city. A base layer of 2 inches of snow had already accumulated in Maple Falls by Sunday, with more falling Monday along Mount Baker Highway.

Snowy and icy roads prompted Bellingham, Lynden and Mount Baker school districts to close on Monday, as Whatcom County bore the brunt of cold air flowing south. Temperatures dipped to the teens near Ferndale and Lynden.

Many other school districts around Western Washington opted to open late. Seattle Public Schools remained on a regular schedule.

The heavy snow made for dicey driving conditions in Whatcom County.

About 20 crashes, most of them along Interstate 5, were reported in the county on Sunday, Washington State Patrol Trooper Kelsey Harding said. By 10:15 a.m. Monday, she had tallied nine new crashes, six of them on I-5.

Most of the calls were about drivers losing control of their vehicles and driving into ditches or barriers, she said. A semitruck ended up in a ditch near Lawrence Road and East Hoff Road, east of Bellingham on Highway 9.

With current road conditions, drivers should give themselves enough time to get to where they’re going.

“If you are seeing snow and ice, slowing down is going to be the best way to get there safely,” Harding said.

Despite the snow, Bellingham officials expected business as usual Monday. Crews worked overnight to clear the streets, but some roads were still slushy Monday. Streets in the northern part of town, which got more snow, were cleared “as best as possible,” according to the city.

But Bellingham is not out of the woods yet. The National Weather Service issued a cold weather advisory for western Whatcom County, including Bellingham, until 10 a.m. Wednesday. Wind chills could make it feel like 5 to 15 degrees.

Parts of King and Snohomish counties were also under a winter weather advisory from Monday evening through 10 a.m. Tuesday.

“Plan on slippery road conditions,” the advisory signs, in a warning to commuters.

Another 2 inches of snow could fall in the lowlands around Seattle and north of the city. But like the weekend snow showers, accumulation could vary widely across the region, said Anna Lindeman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Because the snow has been falling in small, quick showers — or “popcorn” showers — mixed with rain, it’s difficult to predict when and where it will accumulate, Rademacher said.

“It’s pockets of accumulation here and there,” he said.

Seattle temperatures were expected to rise to around 37 degrees Monday, enough to start thawing roads. But they will dip overnight, making Tuesday morning’s commute a precarious one, with slick spots and black ice on the roads.

As temperatures drop, Rademacher encouraged residents to take their pets indoors and be careful on the roads — if you absolutely need to drive, that is.

The city of Bellingham asked residents to stay off the roads unless it’s necessary.

in King County, cities were bracing for frigid temperatures overnight by opening shelters for residents who need a warm place to stay.

Kent’s Holy Spirit Church, located at 318 Third Ave. South, will be open from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. through Friday, the city said in a post on X.

In Renton, St. Anthony’s Rec Hall will be open from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. at 501 South Fourth St. Capacity is 40 people.

The King County Regional Homeless Authority also opened at least seven overnight shelters and 11 daytime shelters. They include the Salvation Army-Sodo Severe Weather Center, 1039 Sixth Ave South, which will be open from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. though Friday.

For more information about shelters, visit kcrha.org/resources/severe-weather-shelter.