WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Final below-freezing night for now. Plus, photos!

(Photo by Stephen Nielsen, from Lowman Beach)

According to the National Weather Service, tonight’s painted-sky sunset ushered in our final below-freezing night – until the next time Arctic air gets this far south. But until there’s been some time to thaw, be careful on the streets and sidewalks – we noticed numerous ice patches while out this afternoon. Ice was even plaguing this hummingbird, photographed by Ashley B. Harrison as it tried to scratch an icicle off the underside of its beak:

Tomorrow is expected to start clear enough that we might get one more look at mountain views like these before the clouds start taking over:

(This photo and next, by James Bratsanos, from Alki)

There’s still talk in the forecast of some snow or freezing rain mixed in with regular rain starting tomorrow night, but the NWS’s forecast discussion warns that’s not a sure thing. Meantime – today’s high was 38, low 21, respectively 10 and 17 degrees below normal for this date.

(Photo by Michael Burke, from Fauntlee Hills)

Ann January 15, 2024 (11:53 pm)

Every one of these photos is absolutely stunning! The snow covered Olympics, the end of day twilight glow, the hummingbird!

Barbara January 16, 2024 (12:07 am)

How is “normal” derived? I can remember plenty of snow, ice, street closures and power outages in past winters as well.

WSB January 16, 2024 (1:14 am)

Scroll down this page of the National Weather Service glossary:
https://forecast.weather.gov/glossary.php?letter=n
Brian January 16, 2024 (6:15 am)

The part of the article that references “normal” is specifically regarding the low temperatures which anyone who has lived in Seattle for any number of years will agree is very abnormal.
Joe Z January 16, 2024 (10:19 am)

Normal is the smoothed 30-year average for the date using the previous three full decades. So 1991-2020.
Barbara January 16, 2024 (10:25 am)

Here’s a link that explains how NOAA determines “normal” climate. They update this every 10 years which doesn’t seem frequent enough with rapidly changing climate patterns. The last update was in 2020. https://www.noaa.gov/explainers/understanding-climate-normals

Rhonda January 16, 2024 (4:07 am)

Seola Pond is frozen over like a skating rink, but I hope nobody walks on it. A warning sign probably should’ve been put up but it’s probably going to melt by Tuesday or Wednesday.

waikikigirl January 16, 2024 (4:44 pm)

There were “swampy ponds” near our home when we were younger and one winter on our way home from school my sister decided to walk out onto the “ice” I told her not to…ker-plunk there she went. Luckily I was close and pulled her up. 😢 So I suggest “warning signs” should go up.