The cold snap that gripped the North Olympic Peninsula in its icy claws this week set several records for low temperatures in Clallam County.
Even high temperatures for the week have been barely above freezing.
And, although temperatures may rise slightly Friday and this weekend, the break in the cold is forecast along with a chance of snow throughout the Peninsula.
Sequim, which has been the coldest in Clallam County, reached a bone-chilling 14 degrees Tuesday, the coldest temperature recorded that date by the National Weather Service since it started tracking Sequim data in 1980.
Sequim also set a record for the past 29 years on Sunday when a temperature of 18 degrees was logged.
The last record for that date was 19 degrees in 1995.
Forks, which has records going back to 1966, set a record Saturday and Wednesday.
The low temperature of 23 degrees Saturday edged past the last record of 24 degrees for Dec. 5 set in 1984.
On Wednesday, Forks was even colder at 18 degrees, which broke the Dec. 9, 1972, record of 20.
Forks’s highest temperature since Monday was 37 degrees, reached on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Port Angeles, which has records going back only to 2000, recorded 19 degrees as its low of the lows for December on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Its high temperature since Monday was 36 degrees, reached on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Quilcene low: 12
The lowest temperature recorded in a Peninsula city was recorded in Quilcene, which registered a low of 12 degrees Wednesday. The highest temperature recorded in Quilcene since Monday was 36 degrees.
Port Townsend’s temperatures dipped to as low as 25 degrees on Wednesday, according to an unofficial reading from the Jefferson County Courthouse.
The National Weather Service, which has no official records in Port Townsend, posted an unofficial low for the week at 27 degrees Monday.
On Wednesday, Seattle set a record of 18 degrees and Olympia set another at 7.
Cold temperatures joined with snow flurries and rain showers are expected through the weekend.
The weather service expects snow to begin on Friday and turn to rain on Sunday east of Port Angeles and on Saturday in the West End.
High temperatures are expected to be in the high 30s or low 40s through Sunday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Danny Mercer said little to no snow accumulation is expected.
Mercer called this weekend a “transition period” between cold and warmer weather.
He said a low-pressure air mass will be responsible for “spitting some snow flakes” out this weekend and breaking up the high pressure system that has trapped cold air over the Peninsula.
He expects temperatures to continue to warm, climbing into the 40s early next week.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
