Seattle may be getting an ice storm for Christmas.
As nearly the entire country deals with a bomb cyclone ahead of Christmas, Seattle isn’t escaping unscathed. Low temperatures and heavy precipitation ahead of Christmas weekend bring the potential for icy streets and possibly even power outages in the Seattle area.
Read on for all you need to know about the upcoming Seattle ice storm!
According to the National Weather Service, snow is supposed to turn into freezing rain in Seattle this Friday, December 23. The rain will continue into Friday night and the rest of the weekend, meaning there will likely be a very wet Christmas in Seattle. Temperatures will remain low, leading to possible ice accumulation on Friday.
⚠️ DAMAGING ICE STORM POSSIBLE FRIDAY ⚠️
Several hours of freezing rain are possible between Seattle and Tacoma and points east on Friday morning.
This has the potential to result in widespread, long-lasting power outages for many—especially south of Seattle.
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) December 21, 2022
With this forecast in mind, exercise caution when making travel plans between now and Christmas in the Seattle area. Most of Seattle’s streets are spread across steep hills, making it dangerous to drive when they are covered in snow and ice. It’s best to stay home or take public transit if you must travel. You can also check the live map of plowed Seattle roads.
As for power outages, there is a chance that an ice storm will cause serious power outages in the Seattle area. If this happens to you, you can call (206) 684-3000 to report a power outage.
If you or someone you know needs shelter from the cold at any point, you can consult the list of Seattle cold weather shelters. Seattle City Hall and Seattle Center will both be serving as cold weather shelters as well.
If you have any concerns about how to keep yourself and your loved ones safe and warm during this inclement weather in Seattle, you can check out this City of Seattle blog post.