Snow or no? What the snowflake icon in your weather app for next week actually means

SEATTLE — We all see it, the most exciting/scary/annoying/fun/kiss of death icon in the world: The iPhone SNOW icon!

Hooray, it’s going to snow right? No! Well, maybe? Or more specifically, it’s too early to know. That’s the truth.

Even though the iPhone snow icon has snow in the forecast for the Seattle area next Thursday (Jan. 11), it doesn’t mean anything at this point. As a meteorologist, I absolutely see the potential for a big cold snap and the potential for some snow. However, it’s just potential at this point.

I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and time after time I’ve seen projections that go out past a week change, and change a lot. I see the potential for cold air next week as a trend on the computer models that we need to watch. I’ve seen that potential for the past few days in roughly the seven to 10-day time frame. With more consistency in the models again today, it’s looking less like a trend in the models and potentially more like a possibility. However, it’s just too soon.

For a better idea of what I’m talking about: Seeing the iPhone snow icon 10 days out and calling it a forecast is like me saying that the Cougs will win the 2025 Apple Cup by 13 after a rousing last-minute safety.

We saw the same thing last year on the computer models in roughly the same seven to 10-day time frame, and you know what ended up happening? Nothing! The cold air never materialized, and we continued on with life. That’s why I love talking about the potential for cold air with the caveat that it’s just way too early for anything beyond a mention.

That’s also why the iPhone forecast is a problem because there are so many factors that go into a true snow forecast for Western Washington and so many things that must come together for it to happen. We very well could end up seeing very cold air next week, and we could see some days with snow. However, putting it on a forecast with no context or details this far out isn’t fair and more than likely, isn’t accurate.

Thankfully, that’s why you have us!

©2024 Cox Media Group