


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
Issued by NWS Seattle/Tacoma, WA
-- Highlight Changed Discussion --
-- Discussion containing changed information from previous version are highlighted. --419 FXUS66 KSEW 102201 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 301 PM PDT Thu Jul 10 2025 .SYNOPSIS...-- Changed Discussion --High pressure returning to the region will result in an extended period of warm and dry conditions that will persist well into next week. Temperatures are expected to peak Tuesday into Wednesday, where temperatures could reach the low to mid 90s for many areas.-- End Changed Discussion --&& .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...-- Changed Discussion --As expected, the deeper marine layer today has helped the stratus linger well into the afternoon. Ceilings have been lifting and starting to scatter all along the I-5 corridor with some blue sky leading into the evening hours for most areas outside of the coast. High temperatures along the coast today will remain in the mid 60s, with temperatures in the lower 70s through the inland areas. The offshore upper level ridge will tip into the Pacific Northwest Friday with less morning stratus and a bump to temperatures - back into the lower to mid 80s across much of the interior lowlands. Lingering, albeit weaker onshore flow will maintain cloudy skies along the Pacific coast with mostly clear and dry conditions elsewhere. A weak upper level wave riding the ridge Saturday will bring a few extra clouds high clouds especially along the northern border, but ultimately very similar conditions - warm and dry with highs in the 80s over the interior and near 70 along the coast.-- End Changed Discussion --&& .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...-- Changed Discussion --Conditions on Sunday into Monday look to begin trending warmer as high pressure continues to build offshore, with high temperatures working more into the upper 80s. Some of the ensembles do show perhaps a bit of a brief pause to the warming trend Monday - with highs still in the mid to perhaps upper 80s. NBM continues to highlight temperatures peaking Tuesday into Wednesday. For Tuesday widespread areas over the interior south of Puget Sound into the Cascade valleys and foothills having an 80-85% chance of high temperatures at or above 90. This will expand Wednesday - extending northward through the Kitsap Peninsula, Western King and Snohomish Counties. In addition to the very warm daytime temperatures, overnight lows in the metro area will start to struggle to cool below 60 degrees Monday night into Tuesday morning. This will broaden to most of the interior overnight Tuesday night and again Wednesday night. The overall warming trend will result in widespread Moderate (orange) HeatRisk to western Washington by Tuesday with local areas of Major (red) HeatRisk. Some degree of cooling is now indicated for Thursday - but temperatures will likely remain in the 80s over much of the interior - still well above normal.-- End Changed Discussion --&& .AVIATION...-- Changed Discussion --Flow turning northwesterly this afternoon as an upper- ridge builds offshore. Showers from earlier are drying out and low stratus is rising and gradually clearing as a result. Mostly VFR observed so far but isolated MVFR/IFR remains (KHQM). For tonight, stratus will be mostly confined to the coast, SW interior and bits hugging the Cascades. KHQM has a 70-80% chance of cigs around IFR to LIFR overnight into Friday morning with mist possibly limiting visibility. Stratus will retreat to the immediate coastline by 18z Friday with VFR for all interior terminals expected. Winds becoming NW this evening and maintain a northerly component into Friday between 5-10 kt (lighter overnight). KSEA...VFR now observed this afternoon and favored to remain throughout the TAF period. There`s a 20% chance of MVFR cigs between 12-16z Friday due to patchy marine stratus. Southwest winds turning northwesterly by 00z Friday with NW winds persisting into the day on Friday on between 5-10 kt. McMillian-- End Changed Discussion --&& .MARINE...-- Changed Discussion --Flow turning NW over the coastal waters this evening as a surface high sits well offshore. Benign seas tonight but a shallow marine layer could lead to patchy fog over area waters into Friday morning. For Friday, onshore flow looks to increase and become strong. SCA winds are probable for the central and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca on Friday evening into early Saturday morning. Diurnal pushes are favored throughout the strait this weekend and could reach advisory levels. A trough passing to the north early next week may produce gusty winds in the outer coastal waters, along with steeper seas. Seas will range 3-5 feet today through Friday, increasing to 6 to 8 feet over the weekend, couple spots further offshore may see 10 feet seas into early next week. McMillian-- End Changed Discussion --&& .FIRE WEATHER...-- Changed Discussion --Skies will begin to clear out tonight as high pressure begins to build over the region, signaling the beginning of a prolonged warming and drying trend from Friday through next week. Friday will be notably dry, with RH values dropping back into the 25- 35% range over the mountains as well as the interior lowlands south of the Puget Sound. More robust onshore flow this weekend will help usher in more moist air with min RHs back into the 30s and 40s, despite high temperatures remaining in the 80s. While there is still some model discrepancy over how warm and dry we get next week, there is consensus that the warm and dry will continue into the middle of next week, with the flow switching to offshore by Tuesday as a thermal trough begins to build along the coast. Fire weather concerns will be elevated beginning Tuesday as minimum RH values look to drop into the 20s across much of the Cascades and the interior lowlands south of Seattle. There may also be some locally breezy winds through the Cascade gaps. This patter will continue to be closely monitored as we approach next. 62-- End Changed Discussion --&& && .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...None. PZ...None. && $$