Much needed rain coming to Western Washington this weekend
May 3, 2024, 10:52 AM
A rainbow briefly lights up over downtown Seattle, in Western Washington, and the Space Needle between rain and windstorms Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson, AP)
(Elaine Thompson, AP)
Enjoy the warm sunshine Friday since it is going to take some time off this weekend.
A Pacific frontal system moving toward the coast is going to spread increasing higher cloudiness across Western Washington through the day today. High temperatures will be quite mild with the mercury rising well into the 60s and some of the usual warmer spots exceeding 70 degrees.
Rain, associated with the incoming weather system, will arrive tonight. Behind it is an upper-level low-pressure system that fortunately is forecast to track toward Oregon. Yet the upper low will still circulate showers and a much cooler air mass into Western Washington through the weekend. Highs will be much cooler, rising only into the 50s.
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Early next week, another Pacific frontal system is expected to move onshore for much-needed rainfall on Monday. Most of Western Washington is between two and four inches of rain below average for the year, and this pair of weather systems will help make a dent in that precipitation deficit.
For those who want to see the meteor shower associated with Halley’s Comet, as Earth’s rotation around the sun passes through the comet’s path this weekend, cloud cover will make viewing this annual phenomenon quite difficult.
An unseasonably cool unsettled air mass is anticipated to follow Monday’s weather system, generating showers and the possibility of a thunderstorm. Highs again will only be in the 50s.
Want more spring sunshine? Warmer temperatures and sunshine are forecast to return later next week as higher pressure aloft builds over the Pacific Northwest. By Thursday of next week, there should be plenty of sunshine with highs once again climbing well into the 60s.
Consider this weekend’s cooler, wetter, weather as a form of nature’s irrigation, helping yards and gardens get some natural rainwater. The moisture will also wash the air, sharply reducing airborne pollen. Then the sun will return later next week for those yards and gardens to emerge even further.
Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter.
