Brier Weather Station
Latitude N 47° 46' 49" Longitude W 122° 16' 48" Elevation 341 ft
338
FXUS66 KSEW 242152
AFDSEW
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
252 PM PDT Tue Mar 24 2026
.SYNOPSIS...A strong storm will continue to bring wind, rain
and high elevation snow today. Post frontal showers and a
convergence zone will follow on Wednesday. Drier conditions and
slightly warmer weather through the weekend. Troughing returns
on Monday for rain and cooler temperatures.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
A strong Pacific storm system continues to move throughout the
area this afternoon, bringing gusty winds, mountain snow, and
lowland rain. Recent radar imagery shows the bulk of the
precipitation band sagging eastward, with most of the
northwestern half of the CWA dry. Rivers may see small rises but
additional flooding is not expected. Breezy southerly winds
have arrived this afternoon, more notably in areas along the
coast and especially up in the North Interior near Whidbey
Island where we are seeing gusts up to 45 mph. Winds will
generally remain breezy throughout the rest of the evening,
upwards to 30 mph at times. Snow levels remain high this evening
limiting snow up to the high elevations, primarily in the
Cascades.
Heading into Wednesday, we`ll be in a post frontal airmass with
showers lingering throughout the area. Snow levels will lower
down to 2500 feet, with some accumulations expected in the
Cascade Passes. A convergence zone will also develop late
Wednesday afternoon primarily over Snohomish County. This
convergence zone may locally enhance snow accumulations further,
especially at Stevens Pass where we could see a range from 8 to
12 inches. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Stevens
Pass, and also the North Cascades. With the air mass being
unstable as well, SPC has put most of western Washington in a
general thunder risk. Could see an isolated thunderstorm or two.
Lingering showers possible on Thursday, but will trend drier
throughout the day. Snow levels remain low, around 1000 to 1500
feet, which could bring a very brief rain/snow mix to the
Cascade foothills Thursday morning, but confidence is low.
&&
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
High pressure will build into the area starting on Friday and
throughout the weekend, bringing warmer and drier conditions to
western Washington. High temperatures over the weekend in the
upper 50s, even possibly reaching the lower 60s at times. A
trough will return early next week for cooler temps and more
rain.
Mazurkiewicz
&&
.AVIATION...Strong southwest flow aloft as a frontal system affects
the area today. Ceilings are a mixed bag this afternoon, ranging
from IFR and MVFR at locations with lingering rain to VFR levels
where the rain has moved off to the east. In general, ceilings are
expected to improve, reaching 3-3.5K feet between 00-03Z this
evening. Gusty southerly winds will peak late this afternoon -
strongest remaining along the coast and through the interior from
Whidbey Island northward. Winds will become southwesterly and ease
through the evening, with gusts 15-25 kt possible.
KSEA...VFR ceilings will linger overnight. Southeasterly winds 10-
12kt will become southwesterly with gusts to 25kt through the
evening, easing somewhat overnight but still remaining 8-10 kt.
&&
.MARINE...A vigorous frontal system will sweep across across
the waters late this afternoon into this evening. Strong onshore
flow will settle in behind the front through the strait. Gales
remain in effect all waters with coastal seas building well into the
double digits this afternoon and tonight and persisting into
Wednesday. Surface ridging will begin to rebuild across the waters
on Thursday and remain in place into Friday before another front
approaches over the weekend. Seas will slowly subside to 6-8 feet
Thursday and 5-7 feet toward the weekend.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
Flows on the Cedar River at Renton remain high due to dam
operations and will rise above Minor Flood Stage later this
afternoon. Elsewhere, river flooding is not expected over the
next 7 days.
Mazurkiewicz
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Wind Advisory until 6 PM PDT this evening for Grays Harbor
County Coast-Island County-Lowlands of Western Skagit and
Northwestern Snohomish Counties-Lowlands of Western
Whatcom County-Northern Washington Coast-Port Townsend
Area-San Juan County.
Winter Weather Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 5 AM PDT
Thursday for Cascades of Snohomish and Northern King
Counties-Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 5 AM PDT Wednesday for Grays Harbor
Bar.
Gale Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for Central U.S.
Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Coastal Waters From Cape
Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From
Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters
From James Island To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal
Waters From James Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-
Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10
To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape
Shoalwater Out 10 Nm-Puget Sound and Hood Canal-West
Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning until 9 PM PDT this evening for Admiralty Inlet-
East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Northern
Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands.
&&
$$
NWS SEW Office Area Forecast Discussion