PNW weather update: Expect reprieve from ‘big dark’ with drier, sunnier week

Overall, this week’s weather will generally be dry. Higher pressure aloft is forecast to build over Western Washington Monday after the last in a series of soggy Pacific weather systems moved onshore over the weekend.

This change in the weather pattern will result in early January sunshine after areas of morning fog through Thursday. One exception is expected to be Tuesday afternoon and night, when a weakening weather system will work its way through the higher pressure aloft and produce spotty light rainfall across mainly the northwest part of the state.

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On Wednesday and Thursday, the drier weather and emergence of more sunshine should resume, again following areas of morning fog. But on Friday, the drier weather pattern is forecast to give way as a stronger Pacific weather system spreads rain across much of Western Washington.

High temperatures through the week are expected to be in the 40s to lower 50s, with lows ranging from the 30s to lower 40s — both close to seasonal readings for this time of year.

With limited precipitation in the forecast through Thursday, freezing levels in the mountains are expected to climb to as high as 9,000 feet Tuesday. As precipitation returns Friday, snow levels are anticipated to fall to around 4,500 feet.

With this week’s overall drier weather, the rain gauge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) will fall behind average for the month thus far.

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This precipitation deficit tends to continue the trend from last year. SEA was drier than average for nine of the last 12 months, finishing the year seven inches below normal. Granted, there are plenty of days left in the month, yet the latest outlook through the middle of this month has odds on drier-than-average conditions across the Pacific Northwest.

In addition, have you noticed the days are getting longer? Yes, the “big dark” is still in play, but sunset recently moved past 4:30 p.m. Since the Winter Solstice on Dec. 21, recent days are now 20 minutes longer and each day this week is gaining about 90 seconds of daylight. By Jan. 25, the sunset will surpass 5 p.m.

With this week’s occasional appearance of sunshine, it should help give a sense of relief from the “big dark.”

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X