SEATTLE – An active weather pattern in western Washington this week will bring plenty of lowland rain, breezy winds and mountain snow.

Cool air setting in over western Washington will bring another chance for a rain and snow mix Tuesday morning, but there will be limited precipitation at that time.

It will be a chilly and mainly dry Monday night in Western Washington. (FOX 13 Seattle)

TWO ROUNDS OF PRECIPITATION

The upcoming stretch of weather arrives in two main waves:

Round 1: Now through Tuesday morning

Showery precipitation will move through western Washington. These showers could briefly turn heavier at times.

A Puget Sound convergence zone may develop tonight into Monday around Snohomish and King Counties, which could locally increase precipitation and snow potential for the mountains and foothills.

Round 2: Tuesday night through Friday

This is the wetter phase of the forecast. A more organized storm pattern will bring steady precipitation and heavier mountain snowfall.

MOUNTAIN SNOW IN THE CASCADES

The big weather story this week will be in the mountains. With snow levels staying mostly below pass level, the Cascades are set up for a prolonged stretch of impactful snowfall. A brief bump in the snow levels on Wednesday could allow a short period of rain at Snoqualmie Pass, but confidence is still low on how long that warmer air lasts.

With snow levels staying mostly below pass level, the Cascades are set up for a prolonged stretch of impactful snowfall. (FOX 13 Seattle)

Several rounds of snowfall from Tuesday onward could add up to several feet of new snow in the Cascades by the end of the week. If you’re planning to travel across the Cascades, make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving and check conditions before heading out.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the Northern Washington Cascades. (FOX 13 Seattle)

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the central and southern Washington Cascades through Tuesday afternoon. (FOX 13 Seattle)

BREEZY WIND AT TIMES

It will be breezy on and off most of the week, but the windiest period currently looks like Wednesday night into Thursday. The strongest winds are expected along the Washington Coast and in the usual northern Puget Sound areas.

Wind gusts could reach 40 to 50 mph in the Seattle area, which may lead to a few downed branches or isolated power outages.

RIVER FLOODING POTENTIAL

With persistent precipitation hitting the Olympics this week, the Skokomish River in Mason County will likely see flooding conditions as early as Wednesday and into late week, especially if heavier rainfall develops over the Olympic Peninsula.

AVALANCHE CONDITIONS

The combination of heavy snow and periods of wind in the mountains will cause avalanche danger to increase through the week.

By the middle of the week, very dangerous avalanche conditions could develop, especially in the Cascades and Olympics.

Anyone heading into the backcountry should be checking the latest avalanche forecasts and exercising extreme caution.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The next week will feel more like mid-winter again across Western Washington. While most lowland areas will mainly see rain, the mountains will be piling up snow.

The next week will feel more like mid-winter again across Western Washington. While most lowland areas will mainly see rain, the mountains will be piling up snow. (FOX 13 Seattle)

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