Heavy rain is on tap for today and tonight, with decreasing rain and drier conditions Monday. Freezing levels rise dramatically and heavy rain will fall in the mountains, prompting the National Weather Service in Seattle to issue a flood watch for much of Western Washington.
Locally, expect a couple inches of rain before the front moves northward. Areas north of Castle Rock will get heavier rain. Our mountains received some nice powder snow over the holidays, but much of it will wash away. This weather system is moving up from the southwest and bringing some tropical moisture.
The outlook for the first half of the month offers little hope for building the snowpack. We dry out this week, then have another storm late in the week, but temperatures will remain seasonal or warmer.
The rest of the nation will experience arctic cold.
California and Arizona had snow and icicles hanging on the palm trees out of the last blast of arctic air that we had this past week.
