Washington – A quiet, glassy morning settles over Puget Sound as fog drapes neighborhoods and frost clings to parked cars. The air feels damp and cold, muting traffic noise and shrinking sightlines just as people head out for the holiday.
Across the Seattle metro, patchy dense fog developed early, especially in low spots and near the water. According to the National Weather Service, visibility briefly drops during the early commute, with the thickest fog lingering through mid-morning in parts of downtown, West Seattle, and along the I-5 and SR-99 corridors. Temperatures hover in the mid-30s, allowing frost to form on bridges, overpasses, and untreated side streets.
Drivers should plan extra time and stay alert for slick patches, particularly where moisture settles and refreezes after sunrise. To be fair, conditions improve gradually as sunshine breaks through late in the morning. Afternoon highs rebound near 50 degrees, offering a crisp but pleasant break from the chill.
Clouds increase again tonight, and temperatures dip back into the mid-30s. Patchy fog redevelops, keeping the cycle going into Tuesday morning. Midweek brings mostly sunny breaks Wednesday, though nights remain cold enough for frost to return. By Thursday, clouds thicken with a slight uptick in moisture, hinting at a more unsettled pattern by the weekend.
While Seattle avoids major winter storms for now, this is prime season for flash freezing. Melting frost during the day can refreeze after sunset, creating surprise slick spots. Keep headlights on in fog, slow down, and watch for pedestrians with limited visibility.
Looking farther ahead, long-range outlooks suggest above-normal temperatures late this month, but chilly mornings linger in the near term.
How did conditions look on your commute today? Let us know where fog or frost slowed things down around Seattle.
Five-Day Outlook for Seattle, WA
Today: Patchy morning fog, sunny, high near 50
Tuesday: Morning fog, clearing, high near 48
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, chilly start, high near 47
Thursday: Partly sunny, increasing clouds, high near 45
Friday: Partly sunny, chance of rain late, high near 46
