Western Washington is bracing for a soggy Christmas as an atmospheric river approaches, bringing heavy rainfall and mountain snowfall. Meteorologist Jacob DeFlitch from the National Weather Service reports that the first front will arrive on Christmas afternoon, with additional fronts expected through the week. Tacoma and Olympia are forecasted to experience southerly winds of 30 to 40 mph and rain accumulation of 2 to 3 inches from Wednesday morning to Friday afternoon. While the rainfall is significant, it is not anticipated to be as severe as the previous atmospheric river that caused strong winds and power outages. Christmas temperatures are expected to be slightly above average, ranging from the upper 40s to the 50s later in the week.

Travelers in mountainous regions are advised to monitor forecasts closely due to increasing snowfall, as the weather may disrupt holiday travel plans. Residents should prepare for a very wet holiday season as conditions evolve.