textproduct: Seattle/Tacoma

SYNOPSIS

Slow moving front offshore will move inland later today and dissipate tonight over the interior. Temporary high pressure Monday before another weak front arrives Tuesday. Dry and warmer weather Wednesday into Friday as an upper level ridge centered over the Southwest builds back towards the Pacific Northwest. Another weak front will try and move into the area Saturday.

SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY/

Satellite imagery shows cloudy skies over Western Washington early this morning. Doppler radar indicating rain along the coast down to about Hoquiam. Temperatures at 3 am/10Z were in the mid 50s to mid 60s.

Weak front offshore slowly moving inland today. Rain along the coast spreading into the Northwest Interior this morning. Cloudy skies continuing through the afternoon. By late afternoon the rain chances will spread inland to the Lower Chehalis Valley and in the Puget Sound area from about Seattle northward. Not much temperature spread with the cloud cover. Highs in the mid 60s to lower 70s interior and lower to mid 60s coast.

Front dissipating over the interior this evening with shower chances confined to the north coast by 06Z. Mostly cloudy skies overnight into Monday morning. Lows in the 50s and lower 60s.

Upper level trough well offshore Monday with a little bit of upper level ridging over Western Washington. Temporary surface ridge along the coast. Warm front extending out of the trough close enough for a chance of showers along the north coast. For the remainder of the area just some middle and high level clouds embedded in the southwesterly flow aloft. Highs warming over the interior into the 70s and lower 80s ( getting back to near normal ). Highs along the coast in the mid 60s.

Trough offshore moving inland Tuesday. Warm front lifting north Monday night with the trailing cold front reaching the coast Tuesday morning. What is left of the front moving inland Tuesday afternoon. Not much in the way of rainfall with the front with about a quarter inch along the north coast and West Slopes of the Olympics. Just a few hundredths at best elsewhere. Lows Monday night in the 50s. Highs along the coast in the mid 60s with upper 60s to mid 70s inland.

Measurable rain for the Seattle area is rare this time of year. The last time there was measurable rain on July 27th ( Monday ) was 2001 and on July 28th ( Tuesday ) was in 2002. Felton

LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/

Models showing good consistency Tuesday night through Friday with the strong upper level ridge centered over the Desert Southwest back building into the Pacific Northwest. Low level flow remaining onshore which will keep daytime high temperatures near normal. Slow warming trend for the interior with highs in the 70s Wednesday warming to the mid 70s to mid 80s Friday. Highs along the coast in the 60s and lower 70s. Lows all areas in the 50s.

Unlike previous runs, the current extended model suite has the upper level ridge moving east Friday night into Saturday with yet another upper level trough/weak front Saturday. Confidence not real high with the quick switch in the pattern especially this time of year when the ridge should hang tougher. For now will go with cooler high temperatures Saturday, mid 60s coast and 70s inland, with just a chance of showers mainly for the coast and mountains. Felton

AVIATION

Weak front moving inland today dissipating over the interior tonight. Southwesterly flow aloft. VFR ceilings over the interior with areas of MVFR ceilings 14z-19z. The exception to this will be near Bellingham where MVFR ceilings could last into the afternoon hours. IFR/LIFR conditions along the coast improving to MVFR this afternoon.

KSEA...VFR ceilings with MVFR at times 14z-19z. Southerly wind 4 to 8 knots becoming southwesterly 6 to 10 knots around 18z. Felton

MARINE

A slow moving front will move inland later today and dissipate tonight over the inland waters. High pressure will build in behind the front Monday. Another front will move into the area waters Tuesday. High pressure again building in behind the front Tuesday night will remain over the waters through Thursday night.

Diurnal westerly pushes through the Strait of Juan de fuca could produce small craft advisory westerly winds in the evening Wednesday through Friday. Felton

FIRE WEATHER

Fire weather concerns easing through Tuesday with chances for precipitation today and again Tuesday. The north coast and West Slopes of the Olympics got a wetting rain Saturday. With the front weakening today the chances for more wetting rains in those locations are less than 50 percent. The front on Tuesday will be weaker producing less precipitation. Dry and warmer Wednesday through Friday. Even with the warm up, low level onshore flow will give the area good relative humidity recoveries in the overnight hours. Felton

SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...None. PZ...None.