Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA

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399 FXUS66 KSEW 300257 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 757 PM PDT Wed May 29 2024 .SYNOPSIS...Convergence zone activity with embedded thunderstorms are likely to persist into the evening hours before dissipating. Weak high pressure will impact the region from the south for drier and slightly warmer temperatures on Thursday and Friday. Additional frontal systems and an increase in moisture is likely to return early next week. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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Convergence zone showers continue to occur along and just south of the I-90 corridor through King County and drifting southward towards Pierce County. The threat for thunderstorms has largely ended now that the sun is setting and instability has waned across the region. Additional showers are moving in along the coast, but are generally just light rain at the time of this writing. A shortwave ridge is expected Thursday and Friday ahead of the next frontal system, but it is only expected to return the temperatures to seasonally normal, upper 60s and low 70s. Some shower activity associated with the next front may arrive at the coast by Friday afternoon, but Puget Sound and the rest of the interior will have to wait until early Saturday morning to see that wave of precipitation arrive. Kristell/LH .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...Long range cluster analysis is in good agreement on troughing lingering in the area, favoring cooler temperatures and increased precipitation. Sunday through Tuesday will feature a parade of systems, some taking on atmospheric river levels of moisture and high snow levels, bringing up to 4 inches of rain on the windward slopes of the Olympics and Cascades, amd over an inch of rain throughout much of Puget Sound over those three days. While some may digress that this is not the type of late spring weather most desire, receiving moisture like this at this point in the year is incredibly beneficial in providing some breathing room on fuel receptiveness to fires. While it won`t nix the threat of a fire season completely, the region is far better off with receiving this moisture than not. That tidbit aside, high temperatures through Wednesday will likely only be in the upper 50s and low 60s. With ongoing precipitation over three days, the Skokomish, Snohomish and Skykomish rivers will need to be monitored as they are likely to rise into Action stage flood levels by Monday and Tuesday. For what its worth, and much further in the distance, it is worth noting that in the 8-14 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center, there is a signal for a heat event centered over California, but western Washington is in the slight risk of excessive heat category. This is something that will be closely watched and at this time, no projections on exact temperatures can be made, but rather something to think about if you still need to get air conditioning units put back in windows, etc. Kristell
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&& .AVIATION...
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Generally VFR with convergence zone shower activity lingering into the evening. High pressure will continue to build inland tonight, allowing for some terminals to see MVFR ceilings in the morning. Surface winds generally N/NW at 10 kt or less decreasing overnight and shifting S/SE to 5 kt or less. Improving conditions back to VFR by the late morning with winds generally returning N/NW 5-12 kt. KSEA...Convergence zone activity continuing to linger in the evening, with ENE winds holding on driven by shower activity. Winds will shift S/SE 5 to 8 kt after showers end for the night, with models highlighting between 04z/06z. MVFR ceilings may develop early/mid morning, but confidence is low. Conditions will improve as the sun comes up and return to VFR with a wind shift to NW 5 to 9 kt in the afternoon. AL
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&& .MARINE...
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High pressure will continue to build inland tonight through Friday, with a westerly push through the Strait of Juan de Fuca tapering off in the morning Thursday. A series of fronts will cross the region late Friday through the weekend and into early next week, bringing potential for gusty winds and higher seas. SCA winds may return Sunday or Monday through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, while seas will remain between 4 and 7 ft through the weekend. Tuesday will bring potential for seas to approach 10 ft or higher. AL
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&& .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM PDT Thursday for Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. && $$