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Hold On Tight To Your Valentine: Wet, Windy Weekend Ahead

We’re getting the “weather we need,” so get ready for a wet and windy weekend, says KPLU expert Cliff Mass.

“Our water supply was well below normal,” said Mass, who teaches atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington. “Very rapidly, the snowpack is getting replenished in the mountains. The reservoirs are filling. And by the end of this week, I don’t think we’ll have to worry water for this summer or the coming fall.”

Storms On Again, Off Again

With that persistent ridge that lingered over us now gone, we’ve seen storms move through almost exactly every 24 hours, says Mass, and the trend will continue through the weekend.

A rainy Friday morning will turn into an “almost spring-like” afternoon with some sunshine, partly cloudy skies and temperatures getting into the lower 50s, says Mass.

We’ll have a break overnight Friday and Saturday morning before the rain moves in Saturday afternoon.

“And it’s not only going to rain; it’s going to snow in the mountains,” said Mass. “But most importantly, the winds are going to pick up.”

Gusty Winds

“In Seattle, we’ll see winds increasing to 20 to 30 mph, certainly by Saturday night,” said Mass. “But it’ll get even stronger and even earlier up in northwest Washington. Whidbey Island, the San Juans — they’re going to be seeing winds getting up to 40, 50 mph from the southeast, something they haven’t seen much this year.”

Sunday morning will bring another break before the next system sweeps in late Sunday.

“The rain will pick up again, more snow in the mountains and then a little bit more wind,” said Mass.

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The weekly KPLU feature "Weather with Cliff Mass" airs every Friday at 9 a.m. immediately following BirdNote, and twice on Friday afternoons during All Things Considered. The feature is hosted by KPLU Environment Reporter Bellamy Pailthorp. Cliff Mass is a University of Washington Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, a renowned Seattle weather prognosticator, and a popular weather blogger. You can also subscribe to a podcast of “Weather with Cliff Mass”shows.

Bellamy Pailthorp covers the environment for KNKX with an emphasis on climate justice, human health and food sovereignty. She enjoys reporting about how we will power our future while maintaining healthy cultures and livable cities. Story tips can be sent to bpailthorp@knkx.org.