With the turn of the calendar to September, our attention will soon turn westward to the Pacific, where most of our fall storms gather strength before moving our way. By mid-week, it will get rainy and windy!
First, Tuesday will stay dry, with morning lows in the 50s and afternoon highs in the 70s, close to average for early September.
A few showers may reach the coast by Tuesday evening, with rain developing at the beaches Tuesday night and early Wednesday. This will mark the beginning of the region’s most widespread and prolonged rain event since early June.
Some light showers are possible in the lowlands Wednesday morning, but steadier and heavier rain will develop along the coast before spreading inland through the day. By Wednesday afternoon, expect periods of moderate rain with heavier downpours at times.
It will also turn breezy. Most inland lowland communities, including the Puget Sound region, can expect wind gusts of 20 to 30 mph from Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday night. Gusts above 30 mph are likely along the coast and across northern Washington. Forecast confidence in stronger localized gusts elsewhere remains uncertain, and we’ll continue monitoring for any small-scale features that could enhance winds. If there are problems with stronger winds around Puget Sound for a brief time, it would be more probable late Wednesday evening into Wednesday night.
Showers will continue Thursday, occasionally producing heavier downpours. A few isolated thunderstorms are possible in the lowlands, while mountain areas face a higher risk of lightning. Conditions will likely remain blustery, with highs only in the 60s Wednesday and Thursday.
While this will be our first stretch of active weather in quite some time, the rainfall will be welcome after a dry summer. Rainfall totals from Wednesday through Thursday are expected to average one-half to three-quarters of an inch across the Puget Sound region, with more than an inch likely along the coast and in the foothills. Some parts of the Olympics could receive over two inches of rain.
We’ll monitor burn scar areas for any localized flooding concerns, though rainfall reaching the Cascades and eastern slopes will also provide much-needed relief for firefighters.
Rain chances gradually taper into Friday, though a slight chance of showers remains in the forecast next weekend as uncertainty persists in the longer-range pattern. High temperatures will rebound slightly into the upper 60s and lower 70s around Seattle.
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