It has been an active day of weather if you live between Seattle and Everett.  If you live south of Seattle or north of Everett you were likely enjoying some sunshine this afternoon.  This shot from the KIRO tower camera on Queen Anne Hill tells the story.  Dark clouds were hanging over the camera with sun to the south of the city.  Any guesses at what weather phenomenon this could be?  If you said “Puget Sound Convergence Zone” you’re spot on!

Yes, the convergence zone was rocking and rolling late this afternoon bringing hail and even some wet snow through some neighborhoods of North Seattle.  Winds were coming together (converging) in that area bringing tremendous lift in the atmosphere.  With cold air aloft, hail was produced in some of those heavy showers.  We had reports of hail stretching from Shoreline to Kirkland and farther east into Issaquah. 

Heading into tonight that convergence zone will be sticking around with temperatures dropping down around freezing overnight.  Low temperatures will be bottoming out in the low 30s and upper 20s.  While temperatures fall overnight, so will the moisture.  There is still the opportunity however that any isolated showers early tomorrow morning will be in the form of lowland snow.   This is only a chance, with the best opportunity north of Seattle around the convergence zone.  No accumulation is expected. 

Speaking of accumulation, the mountains have been slammed with heavy snow over the past 24 hours.  Stevens Pass has picked up over 1 ½ FEET with Snoqualmie Pass recording over a half foot of fresh powder.  Snow showers will stick around this evening for the passes with another 4 to 8 inches possible.  A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect through 11 p.m. Friday night for the Cascades. 

Ringing in 2012

Besides an isolated shower early tomorrow morning, New Year’s Eve will be drying out during the day.  Skies turn partly sunny with high temperatures running in the mid to low 40s.  If you’re staying up late to ring in 2012, there is a chance shower in the forecast Saturday night.  The coast will be the wettest spot at the stroke of midnight.  The heaviest showers around the sound look to arrive just after midnight into early Sunday morning.  Winds do not look to be an issue for the fireworks show at the Space Needle. 

New Year’s Day will stay mostly cloudy with showers during the morning hours.  The afternoon is looking drier.  We’ll stay in a wet pattern early next week as more systems move into our area. 

Just how dry were we this December? 

 I haven’t used the word dry much when delivering the forecasts this week.  It has been a very active final week of 2011 with storm after storm pounding our area.  You probably remember, the first 3 weeks of the month were bone dry with only 0.25” inches of rainfall.  We certainly made up for it this week!  We picked up enough rain to NOT make this December the driest on record.  It does look like we’ll be in the top 5 however.  Through 7 p.m. Friday, December 30^th Sea-Tac Airport has recorded 2.25 inches of rainfall this month.  As of right now that puts us in the #4 spot of driest Decembers since record keeping began in 1945 at the airport. 

1.) 1.37" 1978

2.) 1.78" 1985

3.) 1.86" 1976

4.) 2.25” 2011 (Through 7 p.m. December 30^th)

5.) 2.51" 2000

We’ll likely stay in that spot… I don’t see us picking up a quarter inch of rainfall before January begins in a little over a day.   

Have a safe and happy New Year… here is to a great 2012! 

-Sam Argier, KIRO 7 Morning Meteorologist