The National Weather Service is forecasting for “the coldest temperatures of this winter,” and the possibility of snow starting this Saturday night, Feb. 17.

Meteorologist Cliff Mass adds:

“We are about to enter the coldest period in over a year (since December 2016 at least), with massive snow in the mountains and lowland snow in ‘favored’ areas such as Northwest Washington and the northern slopes of the Olympics. Even Seattle might get a dusting.”

In addition to wrapping your pipes, we encourage all to keep an eye on our Webcam page, as this is an easy (and warmer) way to watch for changing weather and traffic conditions.

WIND ADVISORY ISSUED:

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 7 PM PST SATURDAY…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Wind Advisory, which is in effect from 7 AM to 7 PM PST Saturday.

* WIND…South to southwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts around 45 mph.

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS…Shelton, Bremerton, Olympia, Gig Harbor, Tacoma, Federal Way, Seattle, and Bellevue.

* TIMING…Peak winds will occur from late Saturday morning through the afternoon.

* IMPACTS…Scattered power outages and minor tree damage can be expected.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Wind Advisory means that winds of 35 mph are expected. Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

Also, check drivekent.com for the city’s traffic related news.

Here’s the 7-day forecast for the Kent area (bold face added for emphasis):

Friday: Rain, mainly before 5pm. High near 49. South wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday Night: Rain, mainly after 11pm. Low around 42. South wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday: Rain. High near 48. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday Night: Rain showers before 5am, then rain and snow showers likely. Low around 36. Wind chill values between 25 and 30. Breezy, with a southwest wind 21 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Sunday: Rain and snow showers likely before 11am, then a chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 14 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 25. Blustery. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Washington’s Birthday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 39.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 24.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 44.
Wednesday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Thursday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44.