Rain this weekend, then Seattle’s last shot at 80 degrees next week

Rain is on the way this weekend in the Seattle area.

The dreary weather may not be great for outdoor plans, but it’ll help end wildfire season.

“This is going to basically end the fire season from Central Washington south,” Cliff Mass, Professor of Atmospheric and Climate Sciences at the University of Washington, told KIRO Newsradio.

A 20% chance of rain is forecast for Saturday after 4 p.m. in King County, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Temperatures will reach a high near 70 degrees, with calm winds in the afternoon. It is forecast to rain Saturday night, with a low around 55 degrees.

Rain is also likely on Sunday, mainly before 11 a.m. The sun will then peek out with a high near 67 degrees. Sunday night is forecast to be mostly cloudy with a low around 56 degrees.

After rainy weekend, sun will shine

Mass noted the sun will fully pop back out next week, and temperatures could reach 80 degrees.

“If we get near 80, it’ll be the last time we do so for the rest of the year,” he said. “So this is going to be the end of summer.”

Mass said anyone south of Everett can expect significant rain on Sunday before the last blast of summer temperatures.

If anything, the weekend weather is a good excuse to stay inside and watch some football.

Contributing: Ian Sterling, KIRO Newsradio; Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest