Temperature Drop in the West Made Seattle Experience its Coldest Day Since 2010

Residents in the Pacific Northwest who had wished for a white Christmas were granted their wish a day late, as the latest in a series of storms dumped snow across the region.

Snow in the Northwest

Snow fell in Portland, Medford, Oregon, and Seattle along the Interstate 5 corridor. Near the Pacific coast, however, there were few, if any, flakes.

"On Sunday, snow totals in the Seattle region were on the order of 2-4 inches, with northern locations seeing locally greater accumulations," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert stated.

The Seattle Seahawks visited the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon, and fans who are used to braving the rain to cheer for their team were greeted with a snowfall. Due to the snow, officials had to care for the field periodically.

This is precisely about when Seattle gets its first significant snowfall of the season and is much ahead of other cities throughout the country. Chicago has yet to receive any snow this season, although it usually receives snow by mid-November.

Post-Christmas Snow

The post-Christmas snow converted the region into a winter paradise, but the weather caused issues for many returning home after the holidays. According to KIRO7 reporter Kevin Ko, over 280 flights were canceled, and another 370 were delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Monday.

While the snow was more of a bother at lower levels, it caused significant problems at higher heights.

According to The Associated Press, three people were injured in a 20-car pileup in Reno, Nevada, on Sunday. Officials cautioned residents about the dangerous weather and advised them to stay home due to the risky journey.

Travel Route

Many mountain crossings, including California's Donner Pass, were blocked due to severe snowfall and whiteout conditions. Despite warnings from officials, travelers willing to struggle through the snow-covered roads attempted to cross the Alps. When Donner Pass was blocked, several people used their GPS to locate another path.

According to a volunteer fireman in California, vehicles were stopped at Hennesse Pass, north of Donner Pass. This mountain route rises to 6,920 feet in height and is not entirely paved; it is a dangerous drive in the winter.

Due to snow, Interstate 80 was blocked from Applegate, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Heavy Snowfall

UC Berkley's Central Sierra Snow Laboratory recorded a new December snowfall record, with over 193 inches of snow falling during the month. With more snow coming, the site may reach 200 inches by the end of the month.

Meanwhile, ski resorts around the area, particularly in the Sierra, welcomed the fresh bout of snow.

Officials at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area had to execute avalanche mitigation activities on Monday morning due to the accumulated snow.

Nearly the Christmas holiday, Devil's Postpile National Monument, located at an elevation of roughly 7,500 feet near Mammoth Mountain, California, was one of the snowiest areas in the western United States, with over 10 feet of new snowfall.

Extreme Temperatures

As the snow melted in the Pacific Northwest at the end of the weekend, it was replaced by frigid temperatures that set new records.

The temperature at Seattle-Tacoma airport dropped to 17 degrees Fahrenheit early Monday morning, the lowest it's been since November 24, 2010. The temperature at the airport dropped to 14 degrees Fahrenheit on that day, which was the day before Thanksgiving and one of the busiest travel days of the year.

Temperatures in Vancouver also dropped into the single digits, with lows of roughly 7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 14 C).

The stormy trend is expected to remain through the rest of 2021 on the West Coast, with the possibility of further accumulating snow west of the Cascades in Oregon and Washington.

The next storm is expected to hit on Tuesday, with another storm arriving late Thursday or early Friday.

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