Western Washington has a reputation for rain, clouds, and low temps. Doesn’t matter what show or movie you watch — if it’s set in Seattle, it looks gloomy, cold, and soaking wet. It’s consistent! However, when it comes to temperatures lately, we’ve been very inconsistent.
In fact, if you look at the past 31 days on a bar graph, you’ll see a roller coaster of way below average temps to way above average temps. It has been consistently inconsistent! A couple of weeks ago, we hit 47° and in the same week, made it to around 70°. Yesterday we hit 56°, and today we should hit 66°! That inconsistency continues today and into the weekend with temps near 80° by Sunday.
The weather pattern is already changing today, and you’ll probably notice it as soon as you head out. We had drizzle, cloudy conditions, and cool temperatures the last two days. Now, the wind direction has shifted, and the clouds are not as thick or widespread. In fact, we’ll just have some areas of low clouds early and then quickly increasing sunshine with light north wind. Expect mostly sunny conditions with much warmer temps. We hit the mid-50s Monday and Tuesday, today we’ll be in the upper-60s!
Thursday looks to be a bit warmer, with many spots from Seattle south reaching the 70s again. A very minor disturbance moving across the region will bring more clouds in the afternoon, lasting through Friday with slightly cooler temperatures, but still with the mid to upper-60s and lower-70s.
Saturday is the unofficial “start of boating season” for Western Washington with the Windermere Cup regatta along Seattle’s Montlake Cut. Morning clouds turning to afternoon sunshine will bring high temperatures back close to 70.
By this weekend, when the sun is out, the UV Index will be nosing into the high category with an index level of 6. Despite our northerly latitude and reputation for dark and gray days, this level of ultraviolet radiation can burn unprotected skin in less than half an hour. Make sure to use sunscreen, wear a hat, and don those sunglasses for protection!
The sun’s rays are strongest in the hours before and after “solar noon,” when the sun is at the highest point in the sky. For us, in early May, that’s just after 1 p.m.
By Sunday, the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean (and the air flowing atop it) will be shut off due to easterly and northerly wind flow. This is one factor that will allow high temperatures to climb into the upper 70s for both Sunday and Monday. There will be some 80s in the warmest spots.
The record high for Sunday in Seattle is 77° set back in 1992, but it’s worth noting that this is the coldest daily record high of the entire month of May! With a forecast high around 78°, we’ll likely “prune” that one from the record books.
If we get to 80°, that would feel like summer for sure, but it’s not unheard of:
- The average first 80° or higher day in Seattle is May 20th.
- The earliest we’ve ever hit 80° or higher is April 1st, 1987.
- The longest we’ve ever had to wait for an 80° or higher temperature was July 21st, back in 1980.