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Take A Walk Today; This November's Record Warmth To End On Saturday

Tim Durkan
/
Tim Durkan Photography
Sunset in Seattle on November 4th, 2016.

Get outdoors and enjoy the weather on Friday, if you can. It’s expected to be the last day of a remarkable, record-setting string of unseasonably warm days.

In fact, knkx weather expert Cliff Mass says we are experiencing the warmest early November period in the history of the Northwest. This month Seattle has experienced eight days with temperatures of 60 degrees or higher — an all-time record. And Seattle charted a record high of 70 degrees on Election Day.

“That was the latest into the fall season that we’ve had a 70-degree temperature. It’s never been 70 degrees this late in the season. That’s amazing,” Mass said.  

But rain and wind will return this weekend, followed by cooler temps.

Mass says Friday’s temps could get into the low 60s again, which is way above normal.

“This time of the year the Puget Sound area should only be getting up into the low 50s at the highest,” Mass said. “So, we’re seeing temperatures that are much more appropriate for the end of September, not the beginning of November.”

Rain Starting Late Friday

Mass says expect rain to develop overnight as a weak front moves through early Saturday. That will bring some rain in the morning hours. Then, a low-pressure system will scoot past us during the afternoon hours, “which will pick the winds up in Seattle and particularly up in Northwest Washington,” Mass said.

Later in the day on Saturday, he says the clouds will be breaking up.

“So it should dry out by later in the afternoon, temperatures getting up to around 60,” Mass said.

Wet And Breezy Sunday

He says another weather system will come in on Sunday, bringing steady rain sometime Sunday morning.

“I’m afraid Sunday looks like a fairly wet day. And then another low-pressure system will move past with more winds, particularly in Northwest Washington,” Mass said. “It’s not going to be damaging here, but it’ll be breezy.”

Back to Normal Next Week

Mass says a transition to a more normal pattern starts next week.

“We’re going to see more weather systems coming in and the temperatures will slowly slide down,” he said. “So the high temperatures will no longer be in the 60s.

Expect an initial drop into the upper 50s, then down to the lower 50s by the middle of the week.

“And that’s important for the mountains, because we’ve been way too warm to get snow in the mountains,“ Mass said. “But by the end of next week, the snow level will drop enough that I think at least the higher elevations, above maybe 4,500 feet, will start getting some snow, which we really need.”

To hear the forecast and discussion of what has been causing the record warmth (hint: it’s not ‘The Blob’,) you can click on the “play” icon at the top of this post.

The weekly knkx 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 knkx 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.

Bellamy Pailthorp covers the environment for KNKX with an emphasis on climate justice, human health and food sovereignty. She enjoys reporting about how we will power our future while maintaining healthy cultures and livable cities. Story tips can be sent to bpailthorp@knkx.org.