SEATTLE - As the seasons shift, many Seattleites are wondering: will it snow this year?

According to FOX 13 Seattle Chief Meteorologist Brian MacMillan, the answer hinges on a weak La Niña weather pattern, which could bring some snow — but not necessarily a repeat of past "Snowmageddon" events.

Keep reading to learn more about this year's La Niña pattern and how much snow the greater Seattle area could see this winter.

A La Niña winter occurs when water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal, influencing global weather patterns. In the Pacific Northwest, a strong La Niña typically brings cooler and wetter conditions, increasing the chances of snow. However, this winter’s weak La Niña presents a slightly different picture.

"In a weak La Niña, like this year's, temperatures may be a little closer to average with more rain to start the season," says MacMillan. "Then, we often see cooler temperatures and wet conditions in the second half of winter, leading to more mountain snow."

Looking back at the past 10 La Niña winters in Seattle, five of them brought significant snowfall, with over 10 inches accumulating during the season. One notable example was the winter of 2020-2021, which saw more than a foot of snow blanket the city.

Lowland snow, however, is never guaranteed. While the odds of snow increase during a La Niña winter, MacMillan cautions that other factors, like specific storm tracks and temperatures, play a significant role.

"Over the past 10 La Niña winters in Seattle, half of those have brought big snow totals to the lowlands," says MacMillan. "Lowland snow is not a guarantee this winter, but the chances are better when we have a La Niña winter like this one."

If you're a fan of skiing or snowboarding, this winter could be promising. Weak La Niña patterns often lead to a robust mountain snowpack, benefiting both winter sports enthusiasts and the region’s water resources.

While it’s too early to predict exactly how much snow Seattle will see, historical trends suggest we may get at least one or two significant snow events. Whether it’s a light dusting or a heavier accumulation, Seattleites should stay prepared for winter weather.

For more updates on weather patterns and snow forecasts, keep an eye on FOX 13 Seattle.

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In a state that is covered in clouds about nine months out of the year, the dating scene could be quite mundane, but a new ranking says that it is actually quite the opposite.

Western Washington is known for the “Seattle freeze,” a term used to describe how difficult it is to meet new people in the region. According to the UW Medicine website, making friends in Seattle can be complicated. Striking up a casual conversation with a stranger can be difficult because people tend to keep to themselves. But another factor is dreary weather.

But beating the “Seattle freeze” could be simple, as long as you have someone to keep you warm, according to a new study released by Wallethub. The study found that there are four cities across Washington that are ranked among the best cities for singles looking for love.

Wallethub’s ranked 182 U.S. cities from the best to worst cities for singles. Rankings were based on key dating-friendliness indicators, including online dating opportunities and the average price of a two-person meal.

The personal finance company’s annual assessment ranked Seattle as the best city for singles in 2023. This year, the study still lists Seattle among the best cities for singles, but it no longer holds the top spot.

The 2024 ranking also listed three other cities in Washington state, two of which were among the top 100. Coming in near the top of the list is Seattle, followed by Spokane at No. 49, Tacoma at No. 82 and Vancouver at No. 132.

The three main categories of the study used to determine the ranking of best cities for singles were economics, fun and recreation, and dating opportunities.

The top five best cities in America for dating, according to the study, are:

Seattle’s 2023 ranking as the best city for singles was due to the number of attractions, as well as places to meet other singles or to go out on dates. So why did Seattle drop two spots in this year’s study?

According to Wallethub, Seattle ranks very poorly this year in the economics category, placing it at No. 173 out of 182. This category evaluated the average cost of several things, including meals, alcoholic beverages, gym memberships, beauty salons and housing affordability.

Although it ranks low in economics, Seattle has one of the highest median household income in the country. The median income for non-family households in Seattle is $83,247 and the median household income for married couple family households is $206,626, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“If you’re looking to meet a partner who’s a good earner, Seattle has the 18th-highest median household income in the country, at over $80,000 per year (adjusted for the cost of living),” notes the study. “The city’s status as a tech hub helps fuel high local incomes and also leads to plenty of brainiacs in the dating pool.”

The study also mentions that Seattle is one of the best cities for singles because it offer several options when it comes to attractions, including a large number of social clubs, music festivals and parks.

Visit Seattle, a non-profit destination marketing organization, lists a ton of activities and places to go to if you’re looking to grab a drink or have a nice meal in the Emerald City.

The News Tribune

Rosemary Montalvo is a service journalism reporter based in Tacoma, WA. She started as a summer news intern after graduating from California State University, Fullerton in May 2023. She previously worked as the photo editor and as a reporter for her university’s student-run newspaper. She was born in Inglewood, CA.

Investors in an Everett-based water vending machine company are suing Lynnwood-based UniBank, the second bank to be accused of being involved with the company that allegedly bilked them out of millions.

Lawyers representing the investors sued WaterStation Technology and its founder Ryan Wear in June for allegedly failing to repay them $130 million. In September, some of the investors sued Port Angeles-based First Fed Bank, alleging the bank and Wear’s company entered a referral agreement and failed to disclose the risks of the business to prospective investors.

Last month, more investors sued UniBank over similar claims, according to documents filed in Snohomish County Superior Court.

WaterStation Technology, founded in 2013, offered investors a simple system for passive income by selling them franchise ownership over water-bottle filling stations at grocery stores and convenience stores.

Wear said installation and upkeep would be handled by the company and would-be investors could expect an annual return of 12% to 20%, according to documents filed in Snohomish County Superior Court in June.

Attorneys accused Wear and his business of perpetuating a Ponzi scheme by pulling in new investors’ money to cover revenue payments owed to older investors.

The November lawsuit claims UniBank issued dozens of loans to WaterStation investors under what lawyers allege were false pretenses between 2019 and 2021. Wear told investors that the vending machines were a turnkey business and monthly revenue would easily cover loan payments, according to court documents.

In the lawsuit from June against Wear and his company, lawyers said roughly 90% of the vending machines WaterStation said it had installed didn’t exist.

The referral agreement between UniBank and WaterStation meant the bank could streamline government-backed small business loans to investors referred by Wear and his business, attorneys said. The referral program was never disclosed to investors.

Court documents include text messages between UniBank representatives and one of Wear’s employees, Kevin Nooney, that set up the structure of the referral agreement. Nooney had similar correspondence with First Fed Bank representatives.

UniBank representatives also toured WaterStation’s facilities in Everett and several executives coached Wear and his employees on how to pitch investors and structure transactions, according to court documents.

Several of the direct accusations lobbed at UniBank include the bank failed to tell investors that vending machine lists provided to it were riddled with overlapping entries and the bank failed to do site visits or independently verify the existence of vending machines and engaged in unfair and deceptive conduct before closing the loans.

In court documents from June, investors said the money coming back to them dried up in 2022.

“Ever since, WaterStation has been actively misleading investors about the nature of the liquidity shortfall and has repeatedly sowed false hope about payments resuming to keep investors at bay,” attorneys for the investors said in the documents.

Court documents filed last month describe some investors failing to make loan payments or taking out loans from other banks to keep UniBank from seizing personal assets they put up as collateral.

Like First Fed Bank, UniBank has sued multiple investors for failing to make loan payments, according to court documents.

“This is just the latest chapter in the tragic WaterStation saga,” said John Bender, a partner at K&L Gates representing the investors since the first lawsuit was filed in June, in an emailed statement. “My clients are being forced to seek court protection given the other side’s refusal to own up to what really went on here.”

UniBank did not respond to a request for comment.

Loans given out to investors ranged from $268,000 to $2.7 million.

Similar to claims made against First Fed, investors’ lawyers accused UniBank of failing to verify money from the loans was used for buying vending machines and paying for the upkeep. The money was simply forwarded to Wear’s business, according to court documents.

UniBank is headquartered in Lynnwood with branches in Bellevue, Federal Way and Lakewood.

The litigation against WaterStation in Snohomish County Superior Court is ongoing and includes claims besides alleging a Ponzi scheme. The lawsuit from June accuses Wear of using some of the investor funds to build a real estate portfolio with more than 30 properties in multiple states worth over $100 million.

Alex Halverson: 206-652-6352 or [email protected].

T&T Supermarket of Richmond, B.C., made its U.S. debut in Bellevue on Thursday with a 76,000-square-foot grocery store and Asian food court that includes a street food booth, a dim sum display case, a noodle stand, a sushi bar and T&T’s famous 300-item bakery/deli.

Washington fans of the 37-store grocery chain used to drive hours to British Columbia to hit T&T; no more. The Bellevue superstore, located at the Marketplace at Factoria, is the biggest T&T to date, and company leaders say it’s the largest grocery store in Washington state.

Over the decades, T&T CEO Tina Lee noticed many cars with Washington state license plates at her Richmond and Vancouver stores. Those shoppers often bought out a certain item in the bakery or filled up their trunks with groceries. So Lee started to plan her U.S. expansion five years ago. She’s been quite hush-hush about the Bellevue store; trainees were told not to post pictures of the store layout or food before Thursday’s ribbon cutting.

T&T, which will expand to Lynnwood next summer, has a fervent following — people line up for hours when a new T&T debuts. Some camp overnight. Lee won’t say whether she has plans to open an outpost in Seattle or elsewhere in Washington, but T&T recently set up its U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, signaling further expansion. T&T also plans to open a supermarket in San Jose, Calif., next year.

While T&T’s shelves, stocked with durian and chili crisp condiments, will look familiar to any shopper who has visited Uwajimaya, H Mart, Ranch 99 or Asian Family Market, the sheer volume of products is the lure. Die-hard fans feel like that proverbial kid in the candy store: The Bellevue T&T carries more than 100 different frozen dumplings, from gyoza to xiao long bao, and 200 different instant ramen.

Why Richmond, B.C., is the dim sum capital of North America

But the food court is perhaps the biggest reason that Seattleites used to grab their passports to hit this Richmond-based chain.

That commute just got shorter. The Bellevue branch features all of T&T’s greatest hits, including a bakery/deli with 300 different breads, baked goods and desserts, like its popular mango cake, 16-layer Napoleon Portuguese egg tarts and lava mochi puffs.

There’s also a dim sum display case with 20 deep-fried and steamed items, including har gow shrimp dumplings, chicken feet and the signature pork buns. There’s a barbecue carving station with lamb ribs, roasted pork, chicken wings and the bestselling Peking duck. Plus, a 20-item hot bar, a street-food-style booth, a noodle-and-rice station with wonton soup and Taiwanese-style sticky rice rolls, stands with spatchcocked fried chicken and a sushi aisle.

During a media preview on Wednesday afternoon, the T&T CEO extended her arms to show off the hundreds of baked goods and the duck carving station at her store.

“This is what people drive three hours for,” Lee said.

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Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson touted T&T as a “regional destination” and a big addition to the city’s “international food scene.”

In the past three years, Bellevue has welcomed at least two dozen restaurant and dessert chains from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and Canada. Some have cited Bellevue’s affluent Asian population as a draw to the area; about 40% of Bellevue’s 151,574 residents are of Asian descent, according to 2023 U.S. census data.

Is this Bellevue tempura hot spot worth the hype?

The last big Vancouver-area expansion arrived on the Eastside last spring, when the Sun Sui Wah dim sum palace opened in Bellevue Marketplace. But the new flagship Washington T&T, 6,000 square feet larger than the chain’s swanky superstore in Montreal, trumps Sun Sui Wah in popularity. The T&T brand boasts a bigger fan base than any of the Asian restaurant chains that have expanded to the Eastside of late.

During grand opening festivities this weekend, expect parking congestion similar to a packed Costco. Management suggested waiting until Monday to shop if you want to avoid the madhouse over the next four days.

If you go

T&T Supermarket: 12620 S.E. 41st Place, Bellevue; tntsupermarket.us; 425-818-3260

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or [email protected]. On Facebook: facebook.com/tanvinh, and on Instagram @tanvinhseattle.

With Washington leaders preparing to tighten spending over the next few years, it’s reasonable to ask the head of each state agency to take a hard look at their programs and squeeze gently, so that no single area bears the brunt. That’s what Gov. Jay Inslee requested of his cabinet members last month — with one major caveat: He explicitly directed that “essential programs” continue.

So it’s bewildering that the Department of Children, Youth & Families chose to lower the boom on 178 of the very poorest kids by proposing the complete elimination of a program known as Early ECEAP (for Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program).

Think of Early ECEAP as “child-care plus.” It’s preschool for kids from birth to age 3 that also provides food, diapers, basic medical screening and immunizations; plus job coaching and housing assistance for their parents.

With one caregiver for eight babies and toddlers, Early ECEAP is an expensive model, penciling out to about $50,000 per child when all those extra services are figured in. But it is aimed at some of the neediest people in Washington, kids in families scraping by on less than 50% of the median income, many of them homeless.

The entire concept underpinning Early Learning in this state is prevention, the idea that providing solid aid for very young kids will stem more expensive costs in education and social services down the line. In 2021, the Legislature made good on that belief by investing more than $1 billion in its Fair Start for Kids Act, which helps pays for the child care and early learning needs of more than 17,000 children.

Yet now, just as Washington was on the brink of using that money to expand low-income child care — which is only reaching about 28% of eligible kids — budget-crunchers have advised a pause, closing about 1,800 unfilled slots for 3- and 4-year-olds and outright removing 178 younger kids from child care-with-extra-services.

It’s hard to see how this makes sense long-term. Eliminating Early ECEAP would save Washington a negligible $9 million annually — in a budget of $70 billion — while discouraging the parents of those children from entering the workforce in favor of remaining at home to supervise their kids.

And while it is true that ECEAP is under-enrolled, a major reason for that is surely the pay offered to staff. Child care workers can make more at Target or McDonald’s. “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy,” says Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP.

As well, two-thirds of all children in ECEAP are kids of color. Eliminating 1,800 child care slots would save about $67 million — by far the biggest dollar amount of any proposed cut in DCYF. Talk about disproportionate impact.

This is the definition of cutting off your nose to spite your face. There has got to be a better way.

The Seattle Times editorial board: members are editorial page editor Kate Riley, Frank A. Blethen, Melissa Davis, Josh Farley, Alex Fryer, Claudia Rowe, Carlton Winfrey and William K. Blethen (emeritus).