Cool, unsettled weather to plague northwestern US into early next week

By Kyle Elliott , AccuWeather meteorologist

November 30,2016, 3:30:43PM,EST

 Multiple storms will keep chilly air and unsettled weather locked over the Pacific Northwest through early next week.

The first of these storms will deliver rain and mountain snow to the Northwest into Thursday.
Rain is expected to dampen cities such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon, while a mixture of rain and snow douses Spokane, Washington.
Though enough snow may fall to whiten the ground in Spokane, the storm system should remain too weak to produce significant snowfall in regions other than the Washington Cascades.

In the highest elevations of the Cascades, between 3 to 6 inches of snow is anticipated to pile up and may cause hazardous driving conditions on I-90 near Snoqualmie and Stampede Pass.
Motorists traveling through the Cascades should consider slowing down when traveling on snow-covered or icy roadways.
Even the slightest bit of snow or ice on paved surfaces can cause a vehicle to hydroplane or tires to lose their traction on the roadway, thus creating an enhanced risk for traffic accidents.
During Thursday, snow will push eastward into the northern Rockies and bring a general coating to an inch or two of snow to cities like Salt Lake City and Bozeman, Montana.

“From Wednesday night through Friday, 3 to 6 inches of snow will inundate the Bitterroots of Idaho and lay down a fresh coat of powder for skiers to enjoy,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kevin Gilmore said.
Snow will surge eastward yet again on Friday and provide 2 to 4 inches of fresh powder for major ski resorts such as Aspen and Steamboat Springs, Colorado, stated Gilmore.
After a brief lull in the action in the Northwest on Thursday night, another storm system will plow onshore on Friday and be followed by an even stronger storm on Saturday night and Sunday.
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Between the two storms, 2 to 4 inches of rain may soak the lower elevations with 2 to 4 feet of snow likely in the mountains.
Snow levels will drop to around 1,500 feet by Sunday, and a high-impact snow event will unfold across the Cascades of Washington and Oregon and the Bitterroot Mountains, according to Gilmore.
“Snow may even fall in Seattle and Portland on Sunday night and Monday and cause a rare whitening of the ground in these traditional wet cities,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.