Mount Rainier ‘as cold as the South Pole'

Mount Rainier’s Camp Muir was as cold as the South Pole on Wednesday with wind gusts near 60 miles per hour and a temperature of 8 degrees.

>> Download the KIRO 7 News weather app for updates around your home

According to the National Weather Service, wind chills were -20 degrees.

The coldest air of the season is headed our way for early next week but that's only one of the critical ingredients for lowland snow in Western Washington.  The other is moisture.

>> Related: Lowland snow possible, not certain next week

We'll have rain and mountain snow to start Wednesday with the snow level around 3,000 feet -- meaning Snoqualmie Pass is likely to have light rain and snow mix.

It'll be drier on Thursday as a weak ridge of high pressure moves over the area before another rainy front on Friday into early Saturday.

While it probably will be cold enough for some lowland or high hills snow possibly as early as Sunday through Monday, any snow will likely be light. Read in detail about the storm system here. 

Top stories on KIRO7.com

• Police: Get caught driving drunk, listen to Nickelback on way to jail
• Health officials: 4 King County patients confirmed to have mumps were vaccinated
• SDOT, King County preparing for icy winter weather
• Get breaking news alerts anytime with the KIRO 7 News App
• Santa's house now on Zillow
• Man convicted of murder denied new trial in 1995 death
• UW worm study shows humans may be able to regrow body parts someday

Cox Media Group