Seattle Now The snow flaked on us this year. That’s got meteorologists worried
Feb 11, 2026
Maddie Kristell, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle who tracks regional weather and wildfire risks, joins to unpack an unusually warm winter. They talk low snowpack and impacts on skiing. They cover implications for summer water supply and heightened fire-weather concerns. Short-term forecasts and what residents and resorts should watch are also discussed.
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Exceptionally Warm Early Winter
- Seattle has experienced one of its warmest Nov–Jan periods on record, ranking second at SeaTac for this span.
- Maddie Kristell notes this four-month trend is significant even before February finishes.
Low Snow Water Equivalent
- Snow water equivalent measures how much water is stored in mountain snow if melted down.
- Maddie Kristell reports many Cascade and Olympic basins sit at only 30–50% of average SWE.
Rain Isn't A Substitute For Mountain Snow
- Low snowpack matters more than recent heavy rain for summer water availability.
- Kristell explains reservoirs spilled December runoff to avoid flooding, so snowpack still leaves the water year vulnerable.