Yes, it’s May 20 — and a winter weather advisory for Olympics

Published 7:12 am Thursday, May 20, 2010

Even though we’re two months into spring, snow in the Olympic Mountains today has caused the National Weather Service to issue the following winter weather advisory.

Motorists planning to go to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park should call the park’s recorded hot line first: 360-565-3131.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER

WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE CASCADES AND OLYMPICS WHICH IS IN EFFECT

UNTIL 4 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON.

SNOW SHOWERS WILL FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS TODAY…WITH THE SNOW

LEVEL LOWERING TO NEAR 3000 FEET. EXPECT 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW AT

HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS ON THE HIGH

PASSES. TRAVEL ACROSS SNOQUALMIE PASS SHOULD NOT BE IMPACTED A

GREAT DEAL TODAY…ALTHOUGH HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS COULD MAKE I-90

SLUSHY AT TIMES. MOTORISTS GOING TO HURRICANE RIDGE IN THE

OLYMPICS OR PARADISE MOUNT RAINER CAN EXPECT WINTRY CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE

TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED

VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Continuing is this surf advisory from the National Weather Service for the West End:

NORTH COAST-CENTRAL COAST-

310 AM PDT THU MAY 20 2010

THE HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM PDT THIS

AFTERNOON.

20 FOOT WAVES OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THIS MORNING WILL SUBSIDE

TO 16 FEET THIS AFTERNOON AND DOWN TO 13 FEET THIS EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH SURF ADVISORY MEANS THAT HIGH SURF WILL AFFECT BEACHES IN

THE ADVISORY AREA…PRODUCING RIP CURRENTS AND LOCALIZED BEACH

EROSION.

IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO FISH OR OBSERVE WAVES FROM ROCKS OR

BEACHES DURING HIGH SURF CONDITIONS. UNWARY BEACH WALKERS CAN BE

CAUGHT OFF GUARD AS WAVES SUDDENLY RACE FARTHER UP THE BEACH THAN

NORMAL. HIGH SURF CAN TOSS LOGS AROUND.