Are winter storms coming early? It seems so as fall weather is coming to an end. Recent weather patterns suggest an approaching winter for the PNW. The Farmers’ Almanac for the 2025-2026 winter forecasts “Chill, Snow, Repeat” weather patterns. 

Fall did not seem to be in the cards this year for mother nature. It almost seems like we didn’t have much of a fall season at all due to the temperature drops across the month of October, including a fatal atmospheric river this past weekend.   

In the mountains, snow was also in the cards for mother nature over the weekend. While a quarter-million local residents lost power, the mountains received snowfall. 

“The vigorous system that moved through on Sunday and a second disturbance behind spread substantial snow over the regional mountains above approximately 4000 ft., with 1-2 feet on the ground in many locations,” Cliff Mass blog shared. 

The last time Seattle got an early winter was back in November of 2017, with two inches of snow. 

Snoqualmie Pass reported half an inch of snow earlier this month, and we can see from the highways how it’s beginning to stick to Mt. Rainier and the Olympics. 

Other places like in Des Moines, Federal Way, Tacoma and more towards the mountains, have spotted ice build up on their cars and roofs. 

This year’s weather felt like it was slow and more enjoyable. Many of the Washingtonians experienced snow from January to February while others felt a mix of warm and freezing weather as well. 

Spanning from the months of May through the beginning of August, with record breaking heat in the Pacific Northwest.

By the end of August, one could still feel the warmer weather gliding into fall, making it the perfect time to bring out the hot beverages at local coffee shops, and warmer attire for the season everyone’s looking forward to. 

The weather, however, seems to be having a mind of its own. We are at the end of October, and there is snow reported before the trees even finished dropping their leaves. The first day snow started falling was Oct. 12 in Snoqualmie Pass. And once again, snow started falling in the mountains on Oct. 25 while the lower valleys were hit with an atmospheric river.

Mixed feelings were spread across every social media platform of the weather changes, some expressed that they were not happy about the cold winter weather rolling in before the typical mid-November, others expressed excitement that the ski areas will be full of snow this year.

Drivers now will have to be more cautious when driving and checking their tires to make sure they stay safe during the winter. Nevertheless it serves the public as a reminder that climate change is real and that it has a lot of effects on how the seasons come and go. 

A lot of people are still wondering if it’s still fall, or if we have officially transferred over to winter, and what it may look like, or what we are to expect for this year’s season of events with mother nature. While winter doesn’t officially begin until Dec. 21, it takes a short drive into the Cascades to reach a winter wonderland. 

While you can still enjoy a nice cloudy day at the pumpkin patch, you will feel the cold in your bones.