Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA

Current Version |  Previous Version |  Text Only |  Print | Product List |  Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
-- Remove Highlighting --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --
585 FXUS66 KSEW 202142 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 242 PM PDT Fri Sep 20 2024 .SYNOPSIS...
-- Changed Discussion --
Dry weather will continue Friday afternoon into Saturday as high pressure moves through the region. A chance of light rain will come via a disturbance on Sunday. The start of next weeks work week will start dry as temperatures increase back into the mid and upper 70s by Tuesday. A stronger cold front will pass through Wednesday into Thursday, with increasing chances of rain.
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
-- Changed Discussion --
Yesterday`s upper level trough over British Columbia has moved out of the region into Montana/Saskatchewan today. A transient ridge has snuck in behind this trough, which has in turn dried out western Washington with cooler, and drier northwest air moving into the region. Cloud cover has burned off from this morning`s light showers/drizzle that took place between I-5 and US-2 in King/Snohomish Counties. Some low level moisture has been sufficient enough for several groups of cumulus clouds to remain. The clouds will stick around into Saturday, and increase overnight with a weaker onshore push filling in additional clouds for Saturday morning. Isolated areas of patchy fog are possible in areas that do not get as much cloud coverage. Saturday will clear out to be the sunniest day of the weekend, with any cloud coverage overhead burning off quickly Saturday morning is drier air makes it way down towards the surface. This will also increase temperature back into the upper 60s to low 70s for highs (along with very light northwest winds). The pattern shifts back to unsettled Sunday. A small/weak shortwave trough is expected to pass over British Columbia Sunday. Part of the trough is able to dig down into Washington, but weakens as it becomes positively tilted due to a ridge building behind it. The precipitation chances remain for Sunday, but have dwindled in overall amounts. Lowland areas will most likely only see a few hundredths of an inch of rain. This does increase however going up towards Forks/Neah Bay, North Cascades, and Mt. Vernon up into Bellingham. Anywhere from a quarter to a third of an inch of rain is possible in these areas. Convection is not expected with this activity. Dry weather returns Monday as a ridge builds over the region, tilting northeastward. This will clear out most cloud coverage during the day, with temperatures still hovering in the upper 60s to low 70s. Winds will turn light northeasterly to easterly through the Cascades late Monday into Tuesday. .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...The ridge on Monday will continue to move inland on Tuesday, with flow aloft becoming more southwesterly on Tuesday. With the winds becoming more offshore on Tuesday, the temperatures will increase into the mid and upper 70s during the day. HeatRisk will only rise to minor in lowland areas (with potentially a couple isolated pockets of moderate in the interior). A trough is expected to follow the ridge, arriving by Wednesday into Thursday and Friday. This will bring a cold front through, decreasing temperatures into the upper 60s to low 70s. Rain chances will increase across the entire coverage area with this frontal passage. There appears to be at this time a better chance of wetting rain with this system, especially in the north Cascades and adjacent lowland areas. Some of the initial rain Wednesday may be heavier. This system is still several days out, and will be monitored for potential impacts due to possible heavier rain. HPR
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .AVIATION...Northwest flow aloft continues through today as weak upper ridging builds into the area. Low level onshore flow will become light northerly this afternoon. A mix of MVFR and areas of IFR this morning across portions of southern and central Puget Sound. Otherwise, VFR elsewhere across Western Washington. Stratus will slowly lift and scatter later this morning into the afternoon. VFR high clouds then expected later this afternoon and evening. Patchy fog and stratus may develop early Saturday morning, especially along the coast, and southern Puget Sound near KOLM. Light winds this morning will become light north this afternoon. KSEA...MVFR cigs will continue through approximately midday (19- 20z), slowly lifting to VFR and scattering this afternoon. VFR high clouds around this evening. The probabilities of stratus developing Saturday morning around the terminal are lower, generally around 20% of IFR cigs. Light southerly winds this morning will slowly transition to north this afternoon and NE tonight. JD && .MARINE...
-- Changed Discussion --
Generally light flow expected into Saturday as a surface ridge expands over the Coastal Waters. The ridge will weaken on Sunday as a frontal system moves onshore into British Columbia. Ridging will build back into the area Monday into Tuesday for more northerly and weakly offshore flow early next week. Onshore flow then resumes the middle of next week with a frontal system moves towards the area. Winds will continue to subside along the outer Coastal Waters this evening. Otherwise, lighter winds expected over the weekend. Seas of 7 to 9 feet for the Coastal Waters will subside to 4 to 6 feet on Saturday, building to near 7 feet for the outer Coastal Waters on Sunday. JD
-- End Changed Discussion --
&& .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 5 PM PDT this afternoon 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. && $$