This weekend will start off wet and cloudy, but the rain will give way to milder conditions, says KPLU weather expert Cliff Mass.
Mass says things will steadily improve over the weekend, with each day a bit better than the last.
Decreasing Rain, Increasing Sun
Friday will bring rain and clouds, says Mass, but come Saturday, we’ll see just a few showers or sprinkles in the morning. Those will break up, with partial sunshine likely in the afternoon and temperatures getting up to 66 or 67 degrees.
“So not a bad day in western Washington,” Mass said. “Sunday looks even better, quite decent.”
Sunday will start with morning clouds, but we’ll also get plenty of sunshine with temperatures getting up to around 70, says Mass.
“The only exception will be the coast,” he said. There, Mass says a weak front will move in later in the afternoon and bring with it clouds and rain in the evening hours.
“So a pretty good weekend for most people,” Mass said, adding his usual reminder that if you want sun, just look to the other side of the Cascades. “Eastern Washington should be glorious — sunny, temperatures in the 70s. So, phenomenal.”
Expect Lots Of Rain Next Week
After the weekend, expect more clouds and wet weather everywhere as typical fall weather returns.
Mass says we should expect to see “one system after the other,” thanks to a “very, very persistent trough of low pressure” expected in the east Pacific Monday.
“But the real wet stuff, the potential for heavy rain and maybe even some flooding would be on Wednesday and Thursday,” Mass said.
Mass says the same trough will also throw up a plume of moisture known as an atmospheric river.
“That’s going to intersect someplace along the Northwest coast,” Mass said, though he added it’s too early to tell exactly where it will hit.
Warmer Than Usual At Night
If you’ve been feeling a bit warmer than usual, Mass says you might be noticing the continuation of a nighttime heat wave that started this summer.
“The minimum temperatures still remain amazingly warm,” Mass said. “Day after day, we are often 5 to 8 degrees above normal” for the lowest temperatures at night.
He says the there are two reasons: lots of southerly winds coming up the coast and bringing warm air, and the warm water off the coast known as “the blob.”
“So plants aren’t dying, our vegetables are still growing. This heat wave, in minimum temperatures, is continuing.”
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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.
