Snow visits Seattle, Portland amid major West Coast wallop

An episode of heavy mountain snow has been plastering much of the West Coast from Canada down to the Mexican border, with prolific accumulations in California’s Sierra Nevada topping seven feet in spots. Winds gusting to 100 mph and near-zero visibilities accompanied the snow atop the highest summits.

The snow has dipped into the lowlands, too, including in Seattle and Portland, Ore., where well-below-average temperatures have even claimed a few records. The National Weather Service in Seattle was warning that the “dangerously cold” temperatures, which are routine in other parts of the country but a rarity in Seattle, could cause uninsulated pipes to freeze and burst.

“With these very cold temperatures, frost bite and hypothermia will occur much faster,” wrote the Weather Service. “If outdoors, remember to dress in layers and cover exposed skin.” Highs will peak in the 20s, with lows in many spots in the teens.

Seattle got a trace of snow on Christmas, but it wasn’t enough to classify as a white Christmas. That requires an inch of snow on the ground Christmas morning. The city did pick up 3.4 inches on Sunday, though, which is more than fell in all of 2020.

“You get it up in the mountains, but accumulating snow is not as frequent in Seattle,” said Samantha Borth, a meteorologist a the local National Weather Service office there.