Whop! It’s turning wintry fast

Winterlike weather continues as storms in the Gulf of Alaska continue to gather strength. Showers behind Friday’s cold front brought snow down to 1,000 feet; Phil Delany just above Dole Valley reported enough to cover the ground in white.

I drove over to Ocean Shores on Friday afternoon and evening, and was pelted with a rain-and-snow mix on the windshield through many good downpours. Friday afternoon temperatures around Western Washington hovered in the low- to mid-40s, dropping quickly into the 30s and even upper 20s after dark.

When I walked on the beach Saturday, bundled up with a winter coat, stocking cap and gloves, I saw sea foam piled up 1 to 2 feet from the extreme swells of the past week. It appeared like an overflowing sink of soap suds.

It was just four weeks ago that I walked the same beach in shorts and a T-shirt. We went from a very pleasant early autumn weather pattern into the grips of a more wintry regime.

Meanwhile, ski areas have opened, and those activities are in full swing. We do have a bit of a bump coming up the next few days, as freezing levels rise and rain returns to all but the highest elevations. However, computer models predict snow levels will be way down by late this week, meaning more snow in the mountains.

Upwards of 5 to 10 inches of rain may fall in the next 48 hours or so over the Olympics, which may cause some rivers to flood in that region.

Yes, an active weather pattern continues.

Pat Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at weathersystems.com.