Home Weather 

Story

Snow, Hail Put Off Spring

Posted: 6:03 pm PDT April 13, 2009Updated: 7:16 pm PDT April 13, 2009

It doesn't quite feel like spring yet with hail in some places, snow in others and a threat of thunderstorms -- all in western Washington.

Showers have been moving across the Puget Sound area, but the convergence zone has been the most active with rain and snow mix falling and several reports of hail.

Upload Your Photos And Videos

Not only in the convergence zone, but also in the south Sound – like Parkland, Spanaway, and Puyallup all saw heavy doses of rain mixed with snow. Tacoma and Renton also reported mixes of snow and rain.

Hail is to blame for a chain reaction crash in Snohomish County, said the Washington State Patrol.

On Interstate 5 near Everett, crews blocked one lane of traffic as they cleared the scene involving at least three cars.

“One of the vehicles involved was just going too fast for the weather conditions, started to lose control and that vehicle was hit by another vehicle," Sean O’Connell of the WSP.

Five people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, troopers said.

Seattle saw light rain and cloudy skies during the afternoon, but no snow.

“Heavy showers are going to continue overnight into the early morning hours and then gradually decrease in the afternoon,” said KIRO 7 Chief Meteorologist Rebecca Stevenson.

Hail or wet snow may also continue and the first thunderstorm of the day might come about.

Follow KIRO7Weather on Twitter

Everett may still have scattered showers through Tuesday afternoon, but they will gradually diminish, Stevenson said.

Temperatures are expected to drop though, 13 degrees for both Seattle and Everett and 12 degrees cooler in Tacoma. Stevenson said it will be a chilly morning.

Drivers who headed over Snoqualmie Pass ran into a stiff dose of winter in mid-April.

Snoqualmie Pass has seen almost four feet of snow in April alone and the rain-snow mix is going to continue overnight.

“We're going to have about 1 to 5 inches accumulate between Stevens and Snoqualmie pass,” Stevenson said.

The mix is expected to finish Tuesday afternoon.

For the first pitch at Safeco Field 3:40 p.m. Tuesday expect decreasing showers, but it will be chilly with temperatures in the 40s.

Despite the rain Thursday night into Friday morning, temperatures are crawling back up into the 60s.

5-Day Forecast

Pinpoint 5-Day Forecast
Current weather for your city:
Go

Detailed Forecast

Rebecca Stevenson
Rebecca Stevenson is Chief Meteorologist for KIRO 7 Eyewitness News. Stevenson holds the Seal of Approval from the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association.
Meteorologist Profile

Weather to Expect:

Numerous showers and a risk of thunderstorms in western Washington tonight as a trough of low pressure moves through.
Showers will continue overnight into Saturday morning, temperatures will be chilly in the morning in the low to mid 30s. The showers will be locally heavy within a convergence zone which poses the risk of wet snow mixing with rain within the zone. The snow level is near 1,500 feet so that it would not be difficult for a heavy shower to bring wet snow as low as 1,000 feet. That would bring the potential to locations like Cougar mountain, Issaquah Alps and Tiger mountain through early Saturday morning. Accumulation is not expected but it would make for slippery roads in the higher elevations.
A new frontal system, storm #5, will bring increasing rain and breezy winds Saturday afternoon and evening. The storm will not be as powerful as the last 4 but will make itself known with more rain on top of already saturated soils. Highs will be cool in the 40s.
Sunday will begin with scattered showers which will decrease through the afternoon. More sunbreaks are expected and highs will be in the mid 40s.

Be prepared for winter driving in the passes. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Cascades through 6am as snow showers will bring an additional 6-10" of snow overnight....especially in the convergence zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. ~Rebecca

3 - Day Forecast
Thu
Wind and Rain
52
Fri
Showers
48
Sat
Rain
45
Seattle Metropolitan Area
Weather to Expect:

Numerous showers and a risk of thunderstorms in western Washington tonight as a trough of low pressure moves through.
Showers will continue overnight into Saturday morning, temperatures will be chilly in the morning in the low to mid 30s. The showers will be locally heavy within a convergence zone which poses the risk of wet snow mixing with rain within the zone. The snow level is near 1,500 feet so that it would not be difficult for a heavy shower to bring wet snow as low as 1,000 feet. That would bring the potential to locations like Cougar mountain, Issaquah Alps and Tiger mountain through early Saturday morning. Accumulation is not expected but it would make for slippery roads in the higher elevations.
A new frontal system, storm #5, will bring increasing rain and breezy winds Saturday afternoon and evening. The storm will not be as powerful as the last 4 but will make itself known with more rain on top of already saturated soils. Highs will be cool in the 40s.
Sunday will begin with scattered showers which will decrease through the afternoon. More sunbreaks are expected and highs will be in the mid 40s.

Be prepared for winter driving in the passes. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Cascades through 6am as snow showers will bring an additional 6-10" of snow overnight....especially in the convergence zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. ~Rebecca