WASHINGTON – Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver face different winter weather risks heading into 2026-27. Washington’s historical annual snowfall averages approximately 44.80 inches across weather stations statewide, although totals vary dramatically by elevation. El Niño does not eliminate snowstorms, dangerous cold or travel disruptions, and winter conditions can persist through March.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), its October 15, 2026, outlook for December through February favors above-normal temperatures across Washington, with probabilities generally ranging from 40% to 60%. The precipitation outlook shows equal chances of above-, near- or below-normal totals across much of the state. These seasonal outlooks do not predict individual snowstorms or snowfall accumulations.
What Washington’s Snowfall History Actually Shows Washington’s 44.80-inch historical snowfall average represents statewide weather-station measurements, not snowfall specifically in Seattle…