Heavy Snow in Washington, January 7, 2005

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED ISSUANCE TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
845 PM PST THU JAN 6 2005

.SYNOPSIS...A COLD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL FORM ALONG THE
WASHINGTON COAST TONIGHT AND STALL THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND.
THIS WILL KEEP UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE AREA WITH VERY LOW SNOW
LEVELS.  THE TROUGH WILL SHIFT SOUTH LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY
FOR A POSSIBLE COOL AND DRY PERIOD.

&&

.DISCUSSION...RAIN MOVING THROUGH THE SEATTLE AREA AND WITH TEMPS 35
TO 40...EXPECT IT TO STAY RAIN. ONLY PLACE WITH SNOW IS CONTINUOUS
FLURRIES AROUND KBLI. EXAMINATION OF CAMERAS SEEMS TO INDICATE NO
SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATION AFTER THE 1-2 INCHES TODAY. WINTER STORM
WARNING EXPIRES THERE TONIGHT.

AS FOR SNOW FRI NIGHT AND SAT...TEMPS NEAR 40 TONIGHT CERTAINLY DO
NOT BODE WELL FOR SNOW. HOWEVER THE EXPECTATION IS THAT COLD AIR
WILL LEAK SOUTH DURING THE DAY TOMORROW. THEN THE NEXT BAND OF PCPN
MOVING FROM THE SOUTH WILL DROP RAIN WHERE IT IS STILL WARM BUT SNOW
OVER THE COLD REGION. WHERE WILL THE COLD AIR BOUNDARY BE...HOW
ABOUT EVERETT. VARIOUS MOS PRODUCTS SHOW COLD AIR AND LOW DEWPOINTS
THAT FAR SOUTH...AND SOUTH OF THERE BOTH TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS ARE
HIGHER.

KBLI-KYWL GRADIENT IS PICKING UP STEAM...NOW -11 MB...AND SEEMS TO
BE ON TRACK TO REACH -20 MB FRI. THIS COULD DRIVE COLD AIR EVEN
FURTHER SOUTH. THERE IS ALL DAY FRI TO FIGURE THIS OUT. BURKE

&&

.AVIATION...MVFR AND LOCAL IFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT...
GRADUALLY IMPROVING FRI TO VFR AND LOCAL MVFR. NORTH WIND DEVELOPING
MOST TAF LOCATIONS MIDDAY FRI...AS COLD AIR OUTFLOW MOVES SWD ACROSS
WRN WA.

&&

.WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY COAST FOR
     HAZARDOUS SEAS.
    .GALE WARNING WEST ENTRANCE TO THE STRAIT.
    .GALE WARNING CAMANO ISLAND TO POINT ROBERTS.
    .SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CENTRAL STRAIT.
    .SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY PUGET SOUND AND HOOD CANAL.

&&

.KATX...VCP21/CSR21 OPERATIONAL.

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