480
FXUS66 KSEW 022158
AFDSEW

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
258 PM PDT Thu May 2 2024

.SYNOPSIS...Dry and mostly clear conditions through tonight. A
wetter storm system will move into western Washington on Friday,
and cool and unsettled conditions will prevail through the
weekend and early next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...Weak high pressure is
bringing sunny and dry conditions to much of western WA today with
temps in the 50s and 60s. There are a few pop-up showers over the
Cascades and cells may drift into the foothills this afternoon with
easterly steering flow aloft. Shower activity will fade away this
evening as the ridge axis shifts inland.

The ridge exits east on Friday while a deep upper low develops
offshore. A frontal system will spread rain to the coast mid to
late morning with rain spreading inland during the afternoon and
evening. The air mass will remain mild, though, under deep
southerly flow. Temperatures in the interior will reach the mid to
upper 60s ahead of the rainfall.

The weekend is looking cool and showery as the deep upper low
slowly tracks inland. There`s plenty of wrap-around moisture
clipping western WA on Saturday with little break in the action.
Highs on Saturday are only in the low to mid 50s. Onshore flow
will increase on Sunday keeping western WA cool, cloudy and
showery. It`ll be windy too with gust around 20-30 mph
(especially around the south sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca). 33

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...Western WA remains under
solid onshore flow through early next week, keeping us cool and
wet through the period. The air mass is slightly unstable on
Monday and added lift from a trough axis may trigger a few
thunderstorms too. Onshore flow eases by midweek and drier N/NW
flow may give us a little break. Warmer and drier weather is
favored for the latter half of the week with high pressure. 33

&&

.AVIATION...Mostly clear skies across western Washington this
afternoon as high pressure moves into the NE Pacific. North to
northeasterly flow will continue throughout the afternoon and
evening, with the gusts calming down around sunset. The wind will
shift back to west/southwest late tonight as the next frontal system
approaches the region. Cigs expected to remain VFR through the
end of the TAF period, with upper level BKN to SCT expected. Some
showers will be possible after 16Z Friday along the coast,
reaching Puget Sound by early afternoon.

KSEA...VFR conditions through the TAF period. North winds will
continue into the evening hours, with gusts relaxing around or just
before sunset. A switch to southerly/southeasterly winds is expected
after 06Z as the next frontal system approaches. Rain is not
expected until after 18Z Friday, and is only expected to be showery
in nature.

Kristell

&&

.MARINE...Weak high pressure over the area waters today for overall
calm conditions. The next frontal system will move into the area
waters Friday into Saturday, likely bringing small craft southerlies
to portions of the area waters and gusty westerly pushes down the
Strait of Juan de Fuca in its wake on Saturday. Another system looks
to arrive in the region late in the weekend and into early next
week.

Combined seas across the coastal waters will generally hover
between 3-5 ft through Friday, before increasing towards 6-8 ft over
the weekend. Confidence is still high regarding seas approaching 9-
10 ft Monday night into Tuesday.

Kristell

&&

.HYDROLOGY...No river flooding is expected over the next 7 days.

&&

.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...None.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 9 AM to 7 PM PDT Friday for Coastal
     Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm-
     Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville 10 To
     60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape
     Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm.

&&

$$