A taste of what's to come? Early snow hints at big La Nina winter

OLYMPIA  --  The first snow of the season came down across Western Washington even before fall’s pumpkins are put away.

Not a typical November by any stretch in Olympia

“I’ve lived in Olympia for 20 years and I don’t think it’s snowed this early,” Kendra Pitzler said. As the snow started to melt in Olympia, lowland snow picked up in other parts of the state.



From SeaTac to Seattle to Port Angeles, nearly everyone caught at least a few flakes. And the early snow had some asking about what’s to come this winter.

“It looks like we are going to have a wild winter,” Pitzler said.

For parents, unexpected snow days mean last minute childcare or next year’s summer break starting later.

“We could have more of these snow days this year,” Q13 News Meteorologist MJ McDermott said.



McDermott says we will get a lot of snow on the mountains but also possibly more activity in the lowlands.

“We already know it’s going to be a La Nina winter which means colder than usual and wetter than usual so we are already set up for more lowland snow events,” McDermott said.


    Temperatures over the weekend will be 20-25 degrees colder than last weekend. The Hood Canal area could see 2-3 inches of snow early Sunday.

    Many people will wake up Saturday morning with temperatures in the 20s.