Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA

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480 FXUS66 KSEW 022158 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 258 PM PDT Thu May 2 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
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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.
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&& .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
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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
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&& .AVIATION...
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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
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&& .MARINE...
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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
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&& .HYDROLOGY...No river flooding is expected over the next 7 days. && .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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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.
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&& $$