An approaching front will bring rain tonight. Snow in the mountains will become heavy at times this evening into early tuesday. A convergence zone is likely to form tuesday with showers decreasing late. Drier weather will begin wednesday, with gradual warming through sunday. Highs could reach the low 60s this weekend.
Radar shows precipitation off the coast and perhaps just edging into the north interior. Rain will develop this evening everywhere as a frontal system moves into the region from the northwest. The front will move into the cascades 09z-12z. A convergence zone will develop late tonight and persist into tuesday. Northwest flow aloft and forecast pressure gradients indicate the pscz will likely move south tuesday.
Steady rain and mountain snow overnight will taper to showers by tuesday morning. Moderately strong westerly flow aloft will support orographically enhanced snowfall along the west slopes of the cascades and passes. Snow will be heaviest tonight just ahead of the front but the passes and paradise on mt. Rainier will get some additional snowfall tuesday as the convergence zone adds to the precipitation amounts. Total liquid qpf through tuesday should run about a half inch to an inch in the lowlands, and over an inch in the mountains. Snow amounts are forecast to be a foot or so in the north cascades, and possibly two feet in the central and south cascades. A winter storm warning is now in effect for the cascades from snohomish county south, while a winter weather advisory remains in effect for the cascades north of snohomish county.
A ridge of high pressure aloft will build rapidly off the coast wednesday. Residual showers over the mountains should end in the afternoon, and there will be some sun wednesday. This will be the start of a stretch of dry weather and gradual warming. A weak front off the coast could keep clouds over the region thursday, but there will be warm advection and the weather will remain dry. Highs on tuesday will be in the upper 40s in rain, then will rise to around 50 wednesday, and into the low to mid 50s thursday. If ksea can manage to reach 54 degrees on thursday, that will mark the first day the temperature has reached its normal high value since february 1. burke
A series of weak fronts make a run at washington in the models through the weekend, but an upper ridge keeps them mostly at bay. The gfs does have a little rain from one of them on saturday night. Have kept pops mainly in the low chance or less category, with sun at times. The temperature will keep rising. Model guidance indicates highs near 60 by saturday, and maybe even the mid 60s by monday. This pattern change is most welcome. Burke
Flooding is not expected for the next 7 days.
Wa...winter storm warning until noon pdt tuesday for cascades of pierce and lewis counties-cascades of snohomish and king counties.
winter weather advisory until noon pdt tuesday for cascades of whatcom and skagit counties.
Pz...small craft advisory until 5 am pdt wednesday for admiralty inlet-coastal waters from james island to point grenville 10 to 60 nm-coastal waters from james island to point grenville out 10 nm-coastal waters from point grenville to cape shoalwater 10 to 60 nm-coastal waters from point grenville to cape shoalwater out 10 nm-east entrance u.s. waters strait of juan de fuca.
small craft advisory for rough bar until 5 am pdt wednesday for grays harbor bar.
small craft advisory from 11 pm this evening to 5 am pdt wednesday for coastal waters from cape flattery to james island 10 to 60 nm-coastal waters from cape flattery to james island out 10 nm.
gale warning until 11 pm pdt this evening for coastal waters from cape flattery to james island 10 to 60 nm-coastal waters from cape flattery to james island out 10 nm.
gale warning until 2 am pdt tuesday for northern inland waters including the san juan islands.
small craft advisory until 11 pm pdt tuesday for west entrance u.s. Waters strait of juan de fuca.
small craft advisory from 5 am tuesday to 5 am pdt wednesday for central u.s. Waters strait of juan de fuca.
small craft advisory until 5 am pdt tuesday for puget sound and hood canal.
A low pressure system and associated cold front will move through the coastal waters by early this evening and through the inland waters overnight. A gale warning remains in effect for the coastal waters from james island northward and for the northern inland waters. Small craft advisories are in effect for the remainder of the waters.
Behind the front, strong northwesterly winds will produce small craft advisory conditions across most of the waters into tuesday or tuesday night. Steep waves will also develop over the coastal waters in the strong northwesterly flow.
High pressure will build into the waters on wednesday with lighter winds. A weak front may brush the waters late thursday. Albrecht/ceo
A strong frontal system is currently moving onshore along the coast this afternoon and will work its way into the interior during the evening hours. Flow aloft will become westerly, while southerly surface winds will increase ahead of the cold front. Increasing moisture will continue to lower ceilings throughout the afternoon allowing for vfr conditions to lower to mvfr this evening into tuesday. Heavier rain will taper off tuesday morning and become more showery in nature. Should see slight improvement in conditions.
Ksea...vfr conditions will continue through this afternoon, with ceilings lowering to mvfr during the evening hours ahead of the frontal boundary. Rain looks to approach the terminal during the evening hours, continuing into tuesday morning before becoming more showery/hit or miss during the day tuesday. South/southwest winds 5 to 12 knots. A few gusts to 20 kts not out of the question late tonight into tuesday. ceo