Seattle-area snow, heavy traffic could slow holiday travel

The National Weather Service predicted snow could hit Seattle Thursday night into Friday morning. Though it may not amount to much on the ground, it could be enough to make things slick for the morning commute. Keep clicking through to see traffic expectations from WSDOT. less The National Weather Service predicted snow could hit Seattle Thursday night into Friday morning. Though it may not amount to much on the ground, it could be enough to make things slick for the morning ... more Photo: NOAA Photo: NOAA Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Seattle-area snow, heavy traffic could slow holiday travel 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

Seattle doesn't typically expect a white Christmas, with rain a more likely form of precipitation on any given year.

But 2017 could be one of those rare exceptions, at least according to forecasts from Thursday looking ahead through the weekend.

And with it, the rare Christmas three-day weekend could make for some tough traveling around the region, according to traffic volume predictions from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement Thursday for possible lowland snow that could include Seattle Thursday night into Friday morning, and then again Sunday into Monday.

A combination of snow and rain mixed was likely Friday morning, possibly making for slick travel conditions around the region as travelers head out for the holiday weekend.

High temperatures in Seattle aren't expected to crest above 40 degrees into late next week, with overnight lows at or below freezing.

Saturday looks to be mostly clear and sunny, but still cold, with winds gusting up to 21 mph before rain and snow returns on Sunday. That rain and snow will hang around through Christmas day before reverting to the more familiar rain on Tuesday.

Traffic volumes aren't expected to be wildly beyond typical for December days from Friday through Monday, according to WSDOT predictions. But some peaks will push congestion up a notch, particularly on Interstate 5 between Tacoma and Olympia, where drivers already had their patience tested with the lengthy closure of southbound I-5 earlier this week.

Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass will likely see just a bit more than its usual traffic volumes over the weekend, and U.S. 2 over Stevens Pass, as well as the stretch of I-5 between Bellingham and the Canadian border, will see some added congestion, but nothing beyond the pale.

The slideshow above details WSDOT traffic expectations for each day on each stretch of highway. Click through and plan ahead for slow holiday travel.

Daniel DeMay covers Seattle culture, city hall, and transportation for seattlepi.com. He can be reached at 206-448-8362 or danieldemay@seattlepi.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Daniel_DeMay.