Spring Heat Wave!

A spring heat wave is ahead! Temperatures will warm into the upper 70s to low 80s by the weekend. Let’s get to the forecast!

Tuesday was a dry and breezy day, with northerly winds blowing towards a low pressure center in the Desert Southwest. Peak gusts are below.

The northerly gusts peaked at 20-35 mph this afternoon (something discussed in the previous blog...showing the accuracy of our forecast models!).

Tuesday’s winds also dried out the air, with humidity dropping below 30% around most of the area.

Humidity dropped to 15-30%, the lowest values since the September fire weather event. If your skin felt dry today...you probably aren’t alone. Be prepared for more low humidity over the next few days.

Now...what you’ve been waiting for...the upcoming heat wave!

Here’s a UW forecast showing the massive high pressure ridge that will be over the PNW on Friday.

As a rule of thumb...high pressure ridges bring sinking air, which produces an absence of clouds. 

Finally, let’s take a look at the forecast for Puyallup from Weather Underground.

The warmup begins on Wednesday, and temperatures peak over the weekend. Subtract a couple degrees from the forecast above if you’re outside the valley. Be sure to take precautions for heat (sunscreen, loose clothing, drink water, etc). Expect temperatures peaking in the upper 70s to low 80s on the weekend. Temperatures slowly decline to start next week and clouds begin to slowly move back in.

Interesting fact...due to offshore flow and compression of air, Western Washington will be warmer than Eastern Washington because air warms as it descends the Cascades, hence 80+ degrees being in the forecast.

The warmest weather since last September is upon us!

Warm and Sunny Week Ahead

The warmest days of 2021 are expected this week. Before we get to the warmer days, we’ll have another chilly night, with lows around freezing on Monday morning.

Take a look at Sunday morning’s low temperatures. Multiple locations set record lows for April 11th.

Frost was widespread on Sunday morning, and there will likely be patchy frost on Monday morning.

This week will feature high temperatures of 65-80 degrees! This is all due to a large high pressure ridge that will be centered over the Pacific Northwest. The ridge will bring warmer temperatures and dry weather, along with a relative absence of clouds.

You can thank this high pressure ridge for our upcoming spring “heat wave.”

Let’s take a look at the forecast for Puyallup from Weather Underground.

The warmup begins on Monday, when highs go above 60 degrees. By Wednesday and Thursday, temperatures get very near or above 70 degrees! 

Despite the fact that the forecast says it’ll be in the 60s on Monday and Tuesday, it’ll likely feel cooler due to offshore flow (north/east winds). Below is the wind forecast for Puyallup.

Winds gusting up to 30 mph are possible on Monday and Tuesday, mainly from midmorning to sunset.

Looking later into the week, the real heat builds. There is now a significant chance that temperatures will reach or get above 75 degrees. The forecast from Weather Underground even shows temperatures reaching 80 degrees, very warm for spring!

I will have more updates on the potential of temperatures near 80 degrees as we get closer to the end of this week when temperatures peak.

Front Bringing Rain & Much Colder Temperatures, Then A Major Warmup

A front will move into Western Washington Friday night. This front will bring rain, mountain snow, breezy winds, and colder temperatures. 

Below is the UW forecast for rain through 5 AM Saturday.

Besides a visible rain shadow just north of Seattle, most areas will receive 0.05 to 0.25 inches of rain.

This front will bring snow to the mountains. Below is a graphic from NWS Seattle showing expected snow accumulations through 5 PM Saturday.

Expect 4-12 inches at the mountain passes. While this isn’t a huge amount of snow, it is impactful at this point in the year.

This front will also bring a big drop in temperatures and the snow level will plummet. There is a slight chance of rain/snow mix in the lowlands early Saturday morning. This is relatively unlikely, but be prepared for brief wintry mix.

The front will also bring breezy conditions to the lowlands on Friday evening and into Saturday. The wind forecast for Puyallup is below.

The strongest winds around the area are expected overnight, as the frontal passage brings winds gusting up to 35 mph.

Due to the incoming front, temperatures near or below freezing are likely on Sunday morning. Below is the Puyallup forecast from Weather Underground.

Notice 3 things in this forecast: 

1) the front will bring rain on Friday night/early Saturday. 

2) cold temperatures are likely on Sunday and Monday mornings. (The low temperature value for a given day normally corresponds to the next morning’s low) Be prepared for frost and freezing temperatures if you have plants growing.

3) A major warmup and transition to at least a week of dry conditions begins on Sunday. 

Below is the extended forecast for next week. (For Puyallup, from Weather Underground).

The warmest temperatures since last September are ahead, with highs exceeding 70 degrees on multiple days next week. And...after a wet fall and winter, we will likely have at least one week without rain!