It just means we've gone digital :) The maps since 2002 are in online format, not paper format, for archiving purposes :)

The condos are certainly enhancing the fog. Look at the condos in the distance -- note how it's foggy at the top, but not the bottom. The "engine" is just starting there. Also read JR's account of how they form. The physics is solid. It's the same effect, more or less, that cause our cap clouds on Mt. Rainier. There may be some regular fog in other spots where the air has cooled just enough on its own, but the condos are enhancing it where they stand.

Yes, camera is pointing roughly north from Hansville across Skunk Bay. That island just to the right of the bolt is Whidbey Island. There was an earlier video I posted on Twitter from Greg during the ice storm (so, about 12,000 tweets ago :) ) that showed the nighttime lights of Anacortes behind the island there.

Actually some of you are right -- these numbers need an asterisk. There was a period from 1996 to I believe 2003 or 2005 when NOAA decided not to track daily snowfall anymore. They changed their mind and reverted back to recording it again a few years ago, but the 1996 snow storm wasn't recorded at Sea-Tac so we don't know where it stands on the list. 1990 was an anomaly in that was a Convergence Zone over Downtown Seattle that dumped 18" of snow there, but hardly any at Sea-Tac :)

Oops -- it was Sunday at 5:20. As you can see, the weather staff is working some long, bleary hours this weekend :)

Thanks :) (Did I at least spell my name right? :) )

What I get for working on my day off :) Corrected that one too.

YES! There should have been a "not" in that sentence. Mea culpa. It's been fixed.

The mountains do get a lot of snow. Snow levels run around 2,000-3,000 feet so it's all rain down here in the city near the water (thus, our rainy reputation) but it's all snow in the mountains! One of the joys of living here is that great skiing is less than an hour from the city, but we don't have much snow here near sea level. But yes, Mt. Baker holds the world record for seasonal snowfall at 1,140 inches :)

No, quite rare. The Pacific Ocean acts as a big moderating force for us and winters are typically in the mid 40s. Snow events are maybe 1-2 times a year and anything more than 2" is a BIG deal, and that's why we freak out so much :) (Well that, and trying to drive on icy hills)