SEATTLE - A new winter storm bringing snow, rain and a spot in the record books swept into Western Washington on Wednesday night, only hours after temperatures dropped to record lows across the state.

By 9:30 p.m., the precipitation had broken the one-month record for Seattle, 15.33 inches set in December 1933, when the official reporting station was at the old downtown Federal Building.

Just as the evening commute ended, wet snow began to fall in the Seattle area. WSDOT crews were out in anticipation of the storm laying down salt, sand and deicer, focusing on major problem areas such as ramps and overpasses.

The National Weather Service says snow or sleet accumulations of 4 to 6 inches are likely as an incoming Pacific front spreads moisture over cold air at the surface. Freezing rain is also likely, especially over western Whatcom County.

Most of the accumulation of snow happened before midnight. After that, p recipitation turned mostly into rain and tapered off as the front moved through the area.

Even so, drivers should expect treacherous conditions as some roads will still be icy or snow-packed.

Power is still out for thousands of people and many who are stuck in the cold are out of patience.

By Thursday morning, temperatures will be warmer with rain showers and some wet snow mixed with rain in the Puget Sound convergence zone areas.

Cold temperatures

Temperatures overnight Tuesday plunged into the low 20’s in Western Washington and the single digits in some areas east of the Cascades.

Earlier in the day, the Weather Service reported a low of 18 degrees at Sea-Tac Airport, breaking a previous record for Nov. 29 of 22 degrees set in 1985.

Other record lows included 12 degrees at Bellingham, near the Canadian border; 25 degrees in Hoquiam near the Pacific Coast; and 2 degrees below zero at Pullman in the southeast corner of the state.

Some cities reported the following temperatures as of 5 a.m. Wednesday: Bremerton 18, Everett 20, Port Angeles 22, Spokane 1, Tacoma 21, Walla Walla 20, Wenatchee 11, and Yakima 11.

AP

Youngsters play on an ice-covered street in Kent, Wash.

Up in the mountains, the Transportation Department reports Snoqualmie Pass is bare with snow and ice in places. There are no restrictions. Stevens Pass has compact snow and ice on the roadway and traction tires advised, oversized vehicles are prohibited. White Pass is bare with compact snow and ice in places, traction tires are advised, oversized vehicles are prohibited. And traction tires are advised over Blewett Pass.

DOT under fire

The Washington State Department of Transportation has been under fire for their slow response to Monday night’s snow and ice because they were expecting rain.

Unlike Monday, they say they are ready this time, and the deicing trucks are on the road in advance of the storm.

“We hit the most vulnerable areas first, we hit the mainline next, and then we'll hit the ramps,” said Bill Vlcek, deputy regional administrator.

In the DOT's traffic command, it will be all hands on deck Wednesday night.

Power outages

Over 10,000 residents in northern Puget Sound are still without power as power crews scramble to get electricity restored before the next storm hits. Utility crews say the snow, ice and damage is so bad, it could take another two to three before power is restored.

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Seattle's streets turned messy again Wednesday night.

Snohomish County PUD reports about 11,000 customers through north Snohomish County, Stanwood, Camano, Darrington and surrounding areas are without power.

Puget Sound Energy reports about 1,900 customers are still without power, down from about 7,000 from last night. Those outages are scattered in south Whidbey and Whatcom County. PSE crews expect to have outages restored by the end of the day.

Rain record, weekend outlook

Seattle has officially broken its all-time record for a month's worth of precipitation.

National Weather Service says the record was broken between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night, and as of 10:16 p.m. the monthly total for November stood at 15.45 inches at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

The previous record was 15.33 inches, set in December 1933 when measurements were taken at the old Federal Building in downtown Seattle.

The National Weather Service also issued a flood watch for the combined effects of rain and melting snow in Whatcom County, just south of the Canadian border between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.

The outlook for Friday looks partly sunny with only a few showers and Saturday should be partly sunny and a totally dry day, adds Rich. Sunday will start with sun, but rain should move in later in the day with rain showers on Monday. Temperatures highs Friday and over the weekend should be in the late to low 40s with lows in the 30s.

Monday storm causes icy gridlock

Thousands of others were stuck on virtually gridlocked streets and highways for hours Monday night. Some football fans reported spending eight hours or more getting home the Seattle Seahawks game, while others abandoned their cars on the freeways in frustration.

The State Patrol reported 287 collisions and 166 disabled vehicles on interstate, federal and state highways in Pierce, Thurston and Lewis counties, south of Seattle, from the middle of Monday night to noon Tuesday. In King County, where Seattle is, the State Patrol received 653 calls for assistance, including 242 crashes, most of them fender-benders. In Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom and Island counties there were 580 collisions Sunday and Monday, Trooper Keith Leary said.

Accidents and deaths

On Tuesday two 16-year-old boys were found dead in a garage east of Port Angeles, apparently the victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. They apparently had been trying to refuel a portable generator to supply electricity for the adjacent home, which lost power after a snowstorm Sunday, said Jim Borte, a spokesman for the Clallam County sheriff's office.

A 60-year-old man who got out of his car following a Monday night crash on State Route 509 south of Seattle lost his legs after being hit by another vehicle that lost control, State Patrol Trooper Jeff Merrill said.

As the temperatures drop, kids are heading to the hills for skiing, sledding and snowboarding, but the cold weather is making for some very dangerous conditions.

In Kenmore, an 18-year-old man was rushed to the hospital Wednesday after a sledding accident left him unconscious. Police say the teen slid right into a truck.

Emergency rooms are filled with slips, falls, crashes, concussions – mostly broken bones from car accidents, hypothermia, broken hips after falls for the elderly, and broken wrists from slips on sidewalks.

But sledding down city streets and suburban hills is one of the most dangerous activities.

Keep pets inside

Local shelter managers want pet owners to keep their animals inside because their fur won’t help in this kind of cold. If you would like to help protect area pets, the Seattle Animal Shelter is collecting new and used igloos – specially designed dog houses to help protect pets from the freezing temperatures.