NWS Issues Winter Weather Warning

The National Weather Service issued a "Hazardous Weather Warning" Wednesday for most lowland areas of Western Washington due to an unusually cold spring storm that will last for several days.

Forecasters warn snow levels could drop to as low as 500 feet, and snow has already fallen in elevated areas of Bellevue, Issaquah, Maple Valley and Enumclaw. The threat of snow will subside on Thursday, but hail is possible.

Motorists are urged to use caution on roads at higher elevations and at the mountain passes.

Here is the April 27 warning from the NWS:

634 AM PDT WED APR 27 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE INTERIOR LOWLANDS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON

...DAY ONE...

TODAY AND TONIGHT THE SNOW LEVEL WILL PLUMMET TO NEAR 500 FEET LATE TONIGHT BEHIND A VIGOROUS FRONT...RESULTING IN THE POTENTIAL FOR A DUSTING OR UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW IN PLACES ABOVE THE 500 FOOT LEVEL. THE SNOW SHOULD NOT STICK ON ANY OF THE ROADS AND IF IT DOES...IT SHOULD QUICKLY MELT.

...DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE AIR MASS WILL BECOME QUITE UNSTABLE ON THURSDAY...RESULTING IN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE UP TO DIME SIZE HAIL OR LARGE QUANTITIES OF HAIL ON THE GROUND. ANTICIPATE GRADUALLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY AS THE AIR MASS STABILIZES AND HIGHER PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL PREVAIL OVER THE AREA THIS WEEKEND FOR DRIER AND WARMER WEATHER. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING UNSETTLED CONDITIONS TO THE REGION MONDAY AND TUESDAY.