Snow falling in Seattle

Snow is falling in Seattle and a handful of Western Washington cities this evening and more could be on its way Thursday and Friday.

"We normally get snow in January, but by late March it's unusual to have snow showers in the Seattle area," said Jeff Michalski, metrologist with the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say the Seattle-area will continue to ease its way into spring, with cool temperatures and rain mixed with snow predicted for the rest of the week.

The unexpected cold spell will keep temperatures about eight to 10 degrees cooler than what's expected for late March. Snow was reported this evening in Seattle, SeaTac, Olympia, Enumclaw and Hoquiam, but there was no significant accumulation.

Snow contributed to a multiple-vehicle collision on State Route 169 near Enumclaw tonight, said Sarah Thomas, spokeswoman for the Washington State Department of Transportation. Crews temporarily closed the road about 7:40 p.m. so crews could clear the accident. Plows were used to clear snow.

Crews from the WSDOT will be on watch throughout the week for ice on roadways.

"We expect roads to stay clear during the cold snap on this side of the mountains," said Travis Phelps, spokesman for WSDOT. "But people should drive with caution."

Relief might come over the weekend with a slight warming trend. But it won't be until early next week when temperatures are expected to reach the low 50s, which is closer to normal.

Snow showers or a high chance of snow was predicted for skiers heading to the Summit at Snoqualmie through the weekend. The resort's Web site said the summit has seen 99 more inches of snowfall this season compared to last year.

Times staff writer Sonia Krishnan contributed to this report.

Karen Johnson: 206-464-2393 or karenjohnson@seattletimes.com