Rain showers will be coming and going this weekend. That's the big picture, but Cliff Mass, professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington, says the weekend won’t be a total washout.
“Memorial Day weekend is generally not the best,” he says. “We have a really nice period sometime in the early to mid-May most years, and we’ve had it.”
Now, Mass says, we’re starting to see the infamous “June gloom syndrome,” which he says involves “a lot of low clouds and sprinkles.”
“There should be some improving trend, but I’m afraid it’s not going to improve quite fast enough,” he says.
The weekend will start off with a cloudy Friday.
“There’s a few showers hanging around, nothing heavy,” he says.
Saturday will bring more of the same—“lots of low clouds” with a few showers and a few possible sunbreaks, Mass says. Temperatures will climb to the lower 60s, “maybe 63, 64.”
Then, some good news: “It should get decent on Sunday afternoon,” says Mass, adding Memorial looks decent, too, with temperatures nearing 70.
Head north for your best chance at decent weather
Looking to head out of town?
“Go north,” says Mass. There will be more rain south of the Seattle-Tacoma area, with Oregon getting hit harder. North of Seattle should get less rainfall.
Eastern Washington will also be "quite decent," says Mass. Temperatures will be in the upper 60s in most areas, and it should be pretty dry.
If you're planning an outdoor activity, such as a bike ride, you can dodge the rain-showers by using an online doppler radar map. Mass has a few favorites, which he keeps on his smartphone.
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Do you have a weather question? Cliff Mass and Keith Seinfeld occasionally answer reader questions on the air. Share yours here.
The weekly KPLU feature "Weather with Cliff Mass" airs every Friday at 9 a.m. immediately following BirdNote, and twice on Friday afternoons during All Things Considered. The feature is hosted by KPLU Science and Health reporter Keith Seinfeld. Cliff Mass is a University of Washington Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, a renowned Seattle weather prognosticator, and a popular weather blogger. You can also subscribe to a podcast of “Weather with Cliff Mass”shows.
