Turbulent spring weather continues to flummox Seattleites after ‘second-wettest May on record’
May 18, 2022, 9:56 AM
A student is sitting under the flowering cherry trees in spring time at the Quad of the University of Washington in Seattle. (Photo by: Wolfgang Kaehler/Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
(Photo by: Wolfgang Kaehler/Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Spring can be a cruel mistress in the Puget Sound region.
She gives us a day of sun breaks Tuesday, only to consider dumping cold water on us, again.
“Yeah, after a nice day today, we’re back to more wet and windy and even snowy weather on Wednesday,” says National Weather Service Meteorologist Jeff Michalski.
Yes. He said SNOW.
Seattle’s spring continues with coldest May 12 on record
“We’re looking at snow levels around 4,000 feet – maybe down to 3,500 feet – but that would definitely impact some of the Cascade passes.”
But you don’t need to head to the mountains to enjoy “cool” temperatures, no sir!
After reaching 70 degrees in the Seattle area in April, Michalski says we haven’t reached our average daytime high temperature for May, which is 67 degrees, ONCE.
And perhaps (PERHAPS!) it would not feel so cold if it wasn’t so DAMP.
Michalski says so far this month, “this has been the second-wettest May on record.”
Only in 2009 have the first 16 days of May been this soggy. And Wednesday’s weather will likely only add to our rain totals.
“We’re back to wet and windy weather,” he says.
If you can don your raincoat and ball cap for the next few days, there is light at the end of the tunnel… and that light, my friends, is the SUN!
“By Friday and especially into Saturday, we’re looking at dry weather and we could maybe see temperatures closer to 70 degrees on Saturday.”
When asked if there was a fancy term like bomb cyclone or atmospheric river to explain this spring’s temperature tantrums, Michalski said no.
“I mean, we’ve just been in this persistent pattern with a trough over the region giving us the cooler and wetter conditions than normal.”
But while even weather-hardened Seattleites might be grumbling, consider the silver lining in all these rain clouds.
“Cooler and wetter weather does have some benefits, “he points out.
“We’re not talking about drought in western Washington and it’s keeping our fire weather season on hold for now as things remain green, so there are definitely some benefits to having a wet and cool spring.”
I’ll take his word for it as I keep my raincoat handy.
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