Storm brings more mountain snow — and wind that’s keeping Seattle area chilly

The late-season, low pressure winter storm that’s brought blizzard-like conditions to the Northern Plains of the United States has also brought heavy snow to the Oregon Cascades and light snow to other parts of the Pacific Northwest, including Chehalis and Portland.

Winter Storm Silas, as it’s been dubbed by The Weather Channel, is expected to produce severe weather from the Plains to the Midwest and South this week.

But the Puget Sound region is just north of the big drama, according to Justin Pullin, Seattle lead forecaster with the National Weather Service.

The Seattle area saw hit-and-miss showers and cold winds Monday that dissipated throughout the day as temperatures warmed into the 40s and 50s, reaching 52 degrees at Sea-Tac International Airport at 2 p.m.

The rest of the week should be mostly “rinse and repeat,” with cool temperatures and off-and-on showers, meteorologist Matthew Cullen said. With longer days and the sun warming the surface, those showers could potentially develop into hail or thunder, he said.

Tuesday’s forecast high is 48 degrees with a low of 33. Tuesday and Wednesday will bring the coldest nights of the week, according to Cullen, who said overnight cold air could lead to light snow in areas away from the water and hills.

It is unlikely snow will accumulate in the Seattle area, he said.

However, some areas of Vancouver and Clark County reported 3 to 5 inches of snow Monday morning, and winterlike weather caused several school closings and delay in Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon. Fallen trees and power lines led to outages and road closures throughout the region.

Portland saw its first measurable snow in April in recorded history on Monday, with the region racking up more than a half-foot of snow.

Snow continued at all Washington mountain passes, prompting the Washington State Department of Transportation to urge travelers to delay trips Monday morning. Stevens Pass briefly closed as crews handled avalanche-control work in the morning.