If the clouds and showers seem dreary, fear not: warm and sunny days lie ahead, says weather expert Cliff Mass.
Friday will start off with more of the same: “A lot of low clouds, but those will be burning off by mid-day,” says Mass, professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington.
By Friday afternoon, temperatures will near 70, says Mass.
“But unfortunately, a weak weather system is approaching us,” says Mass, adding the system will likely arrive Saturday afternoon.
“I think there will be a lot of clouds on Saturday, and the chance of showers will build up as we go later in the day … particularly along the coast, the north part of the area, and the northern part of the Cascades,” Mass says.
If you want a solid chance for clear skies on Saturday, head toward Portland, says Mass.
“Last week, it was: go north. This week, it’s definitely: go south,” he says.
But if you can’t travel, don’t worry. Sunday will be the start of better days around these parts.
Sunday will start off fairly cloudy, with some possible residual showers in the morning.
“But I expect by later in the afternoon, it should be radically better than in the morning,” says Mass. “So I think the clouds will break up. There may be some sunshine later in the day; the chance of rain will drop. And that sets up for the big improvement next week.”
A big improvement, indeed. Next week will bring some welcome sun, says Mass.
“We can expect sunny conditions, and warming conditions Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, even into Thursday. We’re talking about temperatures at least going up to the mid-70s, and we may even be around 80 on Tuesday and Wednesday. So a hugely improving trend,” he says.
-----
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.
