Fall is in the air, and you’ll want to keep a raincoat handy, says KPLU weather expert Cliff Mass.
Mass says we can expect a big transition to deep autumnal clouds and rain early next week. But the weekend forecast is not as wet as predicted a few days ago, and Sunday should bring a break from the rain.
Weekend Forecast 'Quite Decent'
We'll see some rain this weekend, "But not as much as we originally thought,” Mass said. A weak front will bring some showers Friday night into Saturday, but Sunday will be “quite decent.”
Friday, after the fog burns off, Mass says we may see some filtered sun. He expects temperatures getting into the mid-60s for many people in western Washington. “So not a bad day,” he said.
The foggy mornings we have been experiencing are “very classic for this time of the year,” said Mass. "When the nighttime is much longer and when we have clear skies, the Earth radiates to space and we get low clouds and fog.”
Late Friday afternoon, Mass says rain will arrive as a frontal system approaches and brings rain, first to the coast. The system will move through the region Friday night, bringing relatively light showers.
Saturday will bring some rain with extended breaks, lots of clouds and temperatures only getting up into the lower 60s.
“Not a terrible day. Not as bad as we originally thought,” he said.
Dry On Sunday, Completely Sunny In Eastern Washington
Want to escape the rain? Head to eastern Washington, says Mass. Or you could just hunker down and wait for Sunday.
Mass says the heavy precipitation that was in the forecast a few days ago has now been replaced by a ridge of high pressure moving in.
“And so I expect Sunday to be mainly dry for almost the entire region,” Mass said, adding there may even be some sun breaks west of the Cascades. “And if you go to the eastside, it’ll be completely sunny."
A Big Transition Expected Monday Night
Another weak front is coming in Sunday night, bringing patchy clouds Monday and maybe some sprinkles during the day, Mass says. But then it gets serious.
“Monday night to Tuesday, a much stronger front will come through,” he said. “And we will transition to a pattern with a deep trough over the eastern Pacific, which will produce a lot of clouds and showers on and off through much of next week."
“So we are going to be in a different world next week than the one we’ve been in,” Mass said. “That is pretty much for sure.”
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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 Environment Reporter Bellamy Pailthorp. 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.
