SEATTLE — Puget Sound Extended Forecast
Tonight: A few showers through the night. Winds will continue to weaken. A few snow showers in the mountains. Lows in the upper 30s and lower 40s. Snow level near 3,000 feet.
Thursday: Showers and sunbreaks. Lows in the 40s. Highs in the mid-40s to near 50. Snow level near 3,500 feet.
Friday: Increasing rain and wind becoming windy in the afternoon. Lows in the 40s. Highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Snow level near 4,500 feet.
Saturday: Showers and sunbreaks. Lows in the 40s. Highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Snow level near 2,500 feet.
Sunday: Decreasing showers. Lows in the 40s. Highs in the upper 40s. Snow level near 2,000 feet.
Monday: Few showers under partly sunny skies. Lows in the 30s and 40s. Highs in the mid to upper 40s. Snow level near 2,000 feet.
Tuesday: Few showers under partly sunny skies. Lows in the 30s and 40s. Highs in the mid to upper 40s. Snow level near 2,000 feet.
Wednesday: Partly sunny and chilly. Lows in the 30s and 40s. Highs in the mid to upper 40s. Snow level near 2,000 feet.
Discussion:
Tuesday night's storm lived up to the hype and delivered powerful winds that reached hurricane speeds (74 mph) briefly in Enumclaw and at the top of Crystal Mountain. (To be classified as hurricane winds, they have to be sustained winds of 74 mph - not just brief gusts to 74 mph.) Many areas across the region gusted into 40 to 60 mph range.
We see a break between weather systems on Thursday with only showers and sunbreaks and calm winds as the remnants of the bomb cyclone moves farther west and weakens.
However, another blustery weather system will move in on Friday morning. Like Tuesday night's storm, Friday's storm will develop as it rotates around a large upper level low pressure off the coast. This storm will pass by off the coast Thursday even closer than Tuesday's.
Importantly, it will be much weaker than the bomb cyclone so it will produce much less wind. This will give western Washington increasing rain and wind (but not as windy as Tuesday night) early on Friday. This should turn to showers by midday on Friday and the winds will decrease later in the day.
Saturday should see showers and sunbreaks and Sunday will see decreasing showers with more sun. Right now it looks like Monday and Tuesday should be partly sunny with only a few showers.