Windy Saturday Recap, Rain Arrives Sunday

Saturday was one of the windier June days in recent memory. I recorded a 38 mph gust at my house in Federal Way, and many weather stations around the area recorded 25-35 mph gusts. Peak gusts are below.

Winds were fueled due to a cold front that moved through early Saturday. After the frontal passage, winds surged toward the passing low, contributing to the windy day on Saturday. Winds will subside through the day Sunday, occasionally gusting around 20 mph.

A stronger front will move in Sunday afternoon. Below is the UW forecast for rain through Tuesday morning, though most rain will fall on Sunday.

Expect 0.3 to 0.75 inches of rain on Sunday, with some showers remaining into Monday.

Additionally, there is a 10-20% chance of thunderstorms from 2 to 10 PM Sunday. Be prepared, and remember “when thunder roars, go indoors.”

Below is the Puyallup forecast from Weather Underground. 

Expect rain on Sunday afternoon through the night. Then, partly to mostly cloudy days are expected with increasing temperatures and a slight chance of showers. Regarding temperatures...Sunday will be the coldest day, with temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s. Monday through Wednesday will be in the mid 60s, warming to the upper 60s by Thursday.

Expect a rainy afternoon & evening on Sunday, then a chance of showers throughout the rest of the week.

Cooler & Wetter Weekend Ahead

After a week that included a late spring heat wave, a weekend of cooler and wetter weather is in store, along with some breezy conditions. Let’s get the rundown!

Below is the rain forecast from the UW model through 5 AM Monday.

These are some potentially big totals for this time of year. Most of the area will receive 0.1 to 0.3 inches, but a band stretching SW-NE across the South Sound (look near Tacoma) has the potential to receive over a half inch of rain.

Now...when will it rain? A weaker front with scattered showers and breezy conditions will move through on Friday night, bringing cooler temperatures and breezy winds. The wind forecast for Saturday in Puyallup is below.

Expect winds gusting 20-35 mph on Saturday. The South Sound won’t receive much rain on Saturday, a few scattered showers at most. There is also a 10-20% chance of thunderstorms from 11 AM to 4 PM Saturday.

A stronger front with more rain will move through on Sunday. This front is potent...especially for June. Expect more rain (the potential heavier rain discussed earlier) with this system. There is a 10-20% chance of thunderstorms from 2 PM to 8 PM Sunday. Be prepared!

Below is the Weather Underground forecast for Puyallup.

A cool weekend is expected. Temperatures stay in the upper 50s to low 60s on the weekend. Temperatures increase to the mid 60s to start next week. Expect a chance of showers on most days...our current pattern (trough offshore) is conducive to a lot of showers.

Hot Day Across Washington, Cooler Weather Ahead

Wednesday was a hot day across Washington state. Below are high temperatures for the Puget Sound area.

Temperatures peaked in the mid to upper 80s, with the warmest temperatures away from the water. For the Puget around area, this was the hottest day since September 2020.

It was even hotter in Eastern Washington, where triple digit temperatures were widespread. 

The Tri-Cities Airport reached 104 degrees, setting a new daily record. Yakima reached 100 degrees, blasting past the previous record of 95 degrees. Records weren’t broken in the Puget Sound area, but it was quite a warm day.

Heat will continue across the West and most of the country will heat up through the rest of the week. As a result, the latest NWS Climate Prediction Center monthly drought outlook shows “drought development likely” in Western Washington.

The outlook is valid through the end of June, so expect to hear more on the expanding drought coverage through this month.

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

Expect a general cooling trend, with a mostly sunny day on Thursday (highs in the mid to upper 70s). Cooling continues on Friday, with highs in the lower 70s and a chance of rain beginning late Friday night, continuing through Sunday. Temperatures from Friday to Sunday will be in the 60s, chilly compared to the recent heat. Dry weather returns next Monday.