Showers will be widely scattered through the afternoon and many areas will stay dry.  Sunbreaks will be limited as a north-south elongated area of low pressure is stuck right over Western Washington.  This cloud cover will prevent much daytime heating and highs will be a good ten degrees colder-than-normal in lowland locations.

With cold air this morning, some snow was reported through higher elevations of Snohomish County, and through the afternoon a combination of an unstable atmosphere and cold air will allow some wet snow to fall in heavier showers on hills away from Puget Sound.

While a few lightning strikes are possible later this afternoon, the lack of daytime heating should keep very vigorous shower development (and attendant lightning threat) to a sporadic nature.  Still, late this afternoon a few showers could produce some thunder as well as quick hitting bursts of hail or wet snow in any lowland location.  No travel problems or damaging severe weather are expected.

Winds will be light and variable most locations.

Tonight, showers become even fewer in number though a couple showers will persist into the morning commute.  These will be most likely along the Cascade foothills and will contain wet snow, though any shower in the lowlands will also drop a mix of rain and snow, or just wet snow.   No significant travel problems are expected in urban areas.  Foothills and highest hills east of the Sound in King and Snohomish counties could get a bit slushy, especially if a morning convergence zone pops up. 

Highs on Monday will be in the mid 40s and by afternoon, showers should be rain-only in the lowlands.  Many areas will see breaks of sunshine too, especially in the afternoon.

A windy, wet system moves in on Tuesday with rising snow levels (to about 3,000 feet, so no lowland snow threat).  Winds could gust over 40mph in spots in the lowlands on Tuesday before subsiding by Wednesday morning.  Highs will be in the upper 40s Tuesday to around 50 Wednesday as more sunbreaks occur. 

Showers remain in the forecast and it stays cool through the end of the week, though there is the prospect of more sunshine by next weekend.

Join me on KIROTV.com for a Weather Chat on Monday at 1 p.m.