It looks like it’s going to be a partially white Christmas on the North Olympic Peninsula.
After an extended arctic blast, the weather is slowly returning to a warmer seasonal pattern.
But the cold spell isn’t over.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued a winter weather advisory for the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca and the north Washington coast. The advisory will remain in effect until 4 p.m. today.
“Snow showers will continue tonight and on Christmas Day,” the advisory stated. “The snow showers may be mixed with rain at times.”
There is a 70 percent chance of snow showers before 10 a.m. in Port Angeles and Sequim, followed by rain showers with a high of about 38 degrees. Less than a half inch of snow accumulation is expected.
Forks, Neah Bay and Clallam Bay are each expected to see snow showers before 10 a.m. before the rain takes hold.
Six inches of new snow was reported in the Forks area on Wednesday, but just a trace of new snow was seen in Neah Bay. Little to no snow was reported inPort Angeles and Sequim.
Parts of Jefferson County received 5 to 6 inches of new snow on Wednesday, said Jack Reid, county road operations manager. Port Townsend received none.
Most of the new snow was reported in the interior of the West End.
Snow showers are likely before 10 a.m. in Port Townsend before temperatures top out around 37 degrees, according to the National Weather Service forecast.
Despite the new snow, Trooper Krista Hedstrom, State Patrol spokeswoman, said there were no major incidents on the North Olympic Peninsula.
“There are no collisions,” Hedstrom said.
Power outages
John Purvis, distributions system manager for the Clallam County PUD, reported several power outages due to ice-laden trees and lines:
•âÇ59 customers on Hoko Ozette Road between 5:45 and 10:40 a.m.
•âÇ17 customers on Joyce Piedmont Road between 8:29 a.m. and noon.
•âÇ14 customers on Sands Road near the Elwha River between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
•âÇEight customers on Wildcat Road near the Elwha River between 8:17 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
•âÇFive customers on Walkabout Way west of Port Angeles between 11:50 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, one single customer was without power.
“Power to this customer should be restored in one to two hours,” Purvis said in a written statement.
In Jefferson County, Puget Sound Energy spokesman Roger Thompson said there were several weather-related power outages on Wednesday, most of which were small.
“They were scattered around in various parts of Jefferson County,” Thompson said.
“I don’t even have an exact number, but I’m guessing it was in the hundreds.”
Power was restored to most of those customers by Wednesday evening, Thompson said.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
