Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA
878 FXUS66 KSEW 101604 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 904 AM PDT Mon Jun 10 2024 .UPDATE...Marine stratus is socked into much of W WA this morning with patchy mist/drizzle. Guidance is still consistent on the stratus burning off to sunny skies into the afternoon hours. High temperatures today won`t stray too far from average with values in the upper 60s to mid 70s throughout the interior. Coastal areas are to remain in the low to mid 60s. The previous discussion is below along with an updated marine/aviation section. && .SYNOPSIS...A cloudy and cool morning with marine layer stratus. A weak shortwave will move through early on Tuesday, bringing light showers and drizzle. Mostly zonal flow aloft afterwards with near- normal temperatures. However, cooler and wetter weather looks to return by Friday and through the weekend. && .SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...Satellite imagery and surface observations show the marine layer moving into the interior of western Washington. In the upper levels, a return to zonal flow over the region with a large closed low centered over the Gulf of Alaska. Temperatures across the region sit in the low 50s as of 2AM. A cloudy start the day today, though eventually evaporating by the afternoon hours, giving way to mostly clear skies by the evening except some incoming high clouds. Temperatures should warm up fairly quickly once cloud cover reduces and should reach the upper 60s to low 70s across the region. The closed low will send a shortwave trough over the region on Tuesday, bringing with it a weak surface cold front. The associated moisture with this system will be meager. The best chances for shower activity early on Tuesday will be along the Pacific coast and through the mountains, particularly through the northern portions of the region along the border with Canada. Most of the lowlands will not see more than a few hundredths of an inch of rain. Areas south and east of the Seattle metro may stay almost completely dry on Tuesday. Showers and drizzle will taper off Tuesday afternoon, giving way to breaks of sun and clouds by late evening. High temperatures will be cooler, reaching the mid to upper 60s. Mostly zonal flow will return on Wednesday, transitioning into a weak ridge Wednesday night into Thursday. Decreasing clouds overnight will lead to slightly cooler morning lows on Wednesday, down to the mid to low 40s, closer to 50 in the Seattle metro. High temperatures similar to Tuesday, in the mid to upper 60s, perhaps up to the low 70s through the Southwest Interior. .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...A weak and transient upper level ridge on Thursday will keep western Washington dry and warmer, with highs reaching the low to mid 70s. Minimum RHs look to be the lowest on Thursday, reaching 30-40% Thursday afternoon. The large closed-low trough over the Pacific Ocean will approach the region by Friday, bringing with it below-normal temperatures Friday and through the weekend as well as periodic chances for showers across the region. Precipitation amounts continue to look fairly light through this period with limited moisture to work with. LH && .AVIATION...West-southwest flow across the area with a ridge nudging into western Washington. Moist onshore flow continues at the surface. MVFR/IFR cigs with stratus across most of the area. Cigs will slowly improve to BKN/SCT by late morning for the interior, and further to VFR high clouds later this afternoon. A front will move inland Tuesday morning for another round low end VFR and MVFR. Light south winds will become N for some locations this afternoon. KSEA...MVFR cigs through this morning, with brief IFR possible from 16-18z. Cigs will become SCT/BKN by midday, with further VFR expected this afternoon into tonight. S/SW winds becoming more W/NW this afternoon, generally 23-02z. JD && .MARINE...Onshore flow prevails over western WA today. A Gale Warning remains in effect early this morning through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A front will cross western WA on Tuesday with another onshore push of westerlies through the strait Tuesday afternoon and evening. High pressure over the NE Pacific will maintain onshore flow through the remainder of the week. 33 && .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...None. PZ...None. && $$