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The weather around the Puget Sound region began returning to normal on Thursday.

Where there was once ice and some snow, there is now slush and freezing rain.

“Locations right on the water including the Tacoma/Everett/Seattle corridor, likely remain in just rain with perhaps some wet snow mixed in briefly as the weather system moves in Thursday morning,” Chief Meteorologist said Thursday night.

The commute was expected be a bit easier Thursday morning as drivers began to gain traction in the lowlands.

“Farther south by mid-afternoon Thursday, warmer air moving in will likely have turned any lowland wintry precipitation to just rain, finally spelling the end of this dayslong episode of wintry weather and bitter cold,” Palmer added.

Highs Thursday will be around 40 degrees with lows in the 30s.

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A new system heads in

But just as we began to get a bit of a breather, a new weather system is rolling in.

“It will bring more mountain snow, lowland rain, and lingering areas of lowland snow when cold air remains trapped,” ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio meteorologist Ted Buehner said. “The Cascade foothills, Whatcom County, and the Hood Canal area will have the roughest time of it.”

There is the possibility of a significant freezing rain event (up to a half inch of ice) for the Cascade foothills, Buehner explained. “The cold air from Eastern Washington will result in winds with gusts up to 55 mph.”

Trying to get across the passes will continue to be an on-again, off-again dance.

Back in the lowlands, the ongoing wintry mix of weather will persist until Friday morning.

Friday, the highs will get into the 40s with lows between 35-40.

We’ll be getting back to a typical Northwest January this weekend with rain at times and highs 45 to 50 degrees.

Contributing: Ted Buehner; ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ 7