08:36 PM Saturday March 23

Light low level offshore flow and weak high pressure aloft will bring dry weather sunday. A weakening front will arrive from the south on monday. Low level flow will turn back to offshore as the next system moves inland south of the area in the middle of next week. A weak upper trough will linger over the area through the end of the week.

SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/

Showers will end this evening as the air mass becomes more stable. Sunday is looking dry with decreasing clouds as weak high pressure aloft moves over the area and northerly low level offshore flow develops. A few showers may linger over the cascades however. The additional sunshine should allow highs to creep up a few degrees.

A negatively tilted front will move up from the southwest on monday for an increasing chance of rain during the day. This front should be a little wetter than the one last night but it still looks fairly weak overall with negligible impacts. A broad area of low pressure aloft will maintain a chance of showers through tuesday. Schneider

LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/

A split flow pattern will prevail wednesday and thursday with an upper low moving inland to the south. There will be chance of showers at times with a weak upper trough over western washington but mostly it will be dry with seasonable temperatures. The mainly dry weather will continue into the weekend as high pressure aloft tries to build over the area but the ridge looks a bit dirty so an isolated shower can`t be ruled out for now. Schneider

HYDROLOGY

River flooding is not expected for the next 7 days.

MARINE

Weak low level onshore flow will become light overnight before turning offshore on sunday. Small craft advisories for hazardous seas remains in effect for the coastal waters and west entrance through the overnight hours. Swells will subside under 10 feet sunday morning. The next front arrives on monday. The low level flow will turn back to light offshore tuesday and wednesday.

SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

Wa...none. Pz...small craft advisory for hazardous seas until 5 am pdt sunday for coastal waters from cape flattery to james island 10 to 60 nm-coastal waters from cape flattery to james island out 10 nm-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-west entrance u.s. waters strait of juan de fuca.

 small craft advisory for rough bar until 5 am pdt sunday for       grays harbor bar.

AVIATION

Flow aloft generally light northerly with high clouds spreading across western washington into tonight. Light onshore flow will keep the air mass moist in the low levels overnight. mvfr conditions possible in places during the morning hours with patchy low clouds. Clearing expected from south to north during the afternoon. Drier weather by afternoon as flow turns offshore.

Ksea...generally vfr cigs through the overnight hours with high clouds. Mvfr cigs possible following 12z through the morning with some patchy low clouds around. Offshore winds later during the afternoon hours, after 20z-21z, with vfr conditions. Winds generally w/sw turning more northerly during the late afternoon under 10 knots. Jd

UPDATE /830 PM PDT/ TONIGHT AND SUNDAY/

Satellite imagery and obs show partial clearing across much of western washington early this evening. The trough that moved over the area earlier today has split with the bulk of energy to the south. However, the system is negative tilt and ir imagery shows the leading edge of mid/high cloud cover with a short wave approaching from the southeast. As this short wave lifts north-northeast tonight and sunday, some light rain should develop over the cascades and possibly into the foothills sunday. There is some uncertainty as to how much if any light precipitation could spill into the lowlands east of puget sound given the ecmwf solution which has some qpf as far west as the central i-5 metro corridor on sunday. the forecast was updated to increase pops in the foothills and increase clouds but measurable rain still looks unlikely west of the foothills. Will need to monitor this system as it brushes the puget sound region and brings rain to the cascades. If clouds clear in the afternoon, highs should reach close to 60. Patchy fog is also possible in the morning but mainly around the fog prone sw interior/s puget sound pockets. Mercer