Friday and Saturday are bringing much-needed rain and the potential for some decent downpours across the region. While it might put a damper on outdoor plans, we should welcome all the rain we can get.
With snowpack hovering at roughly 35–50% of normal, the natural “reservoir” of water for summer river and stream flows is in a dire state.
Spring rains are the only thing keeping soil moisture from disappearing, even before real summer heat arrives.
In addition to rainfall on Friday and Saturday across the area (could exceed a half inch in some lowland areas and more in the mountains), snow will fall at elevations down to 4,000 feet.
This means a few inches of snow is possible to end the work week and start the weekend at Stevens Pass, Paradise, White Pass, and higher elevations.
At Snoqualmie Pass, there will likely be some snow accumulation on the slopes nearby, but perhaps not down to I-90 at about 3,000 feet elevation.
While I hear grumbling about rain and cooler temperatures heading into this weekend, we really have been spoiled by nice weather lately!
But we need the rain because the long-range models are pointing toward an extended dry and warmer stretch starting Sunday. Climatologically, we are standing on the doorstep of the true “dry season” around the Northwest.
Usually, we see the tap start to turn off in late May, and the outlook into the summer is calling for a better-than-average shot of warmer and drier conditions into June and July— in what is usually an extremely dry period already.
As for fire risk, the National Interagency Fire Center is already waving red flags for the Northwest this summer, with increased risk of wildland fires compared to normal.
When you combine a very low snowpack with a warm, dry spring and early summer, you could get a landscape that is ready to ignite much earlier than usual.
So enjoy the raindrops and the cooler temperatures! We might really be wishing for their return in just weeks.