This summer, we’ve already beat the record for the hottest July and August ever in the Seattle area. And this weekend, we can expect to build on that trend with clear skies and warming temperatures pushing toward what will likely be the hottest full summer season on record, says KPLU weather expert Cliff Mass.
“We’ve been having the best summer on record here in Washington state, and it’s not going away,” Mass said.
A Jumpstart To a Balmy Weekend
Temperatures were already warming up rapidly early Friday, which was shaping up to be 10 to 15 degrees warmer than Thursday.
He predicts highs in the lower 80s and maybe even mid-80s at locations away from the water.
We could also get a bit of breeze from the north as a thermal trough pulls down air from British Columbia.
A Sunny Saturday, Then A Cooler Sunday
Saturday will be the warmest day of the weekend. Then come Sunday, Mass says temperatures could drop by about 5 degrees as a cloud-bearing trough approaches.
Those clouds will linger and intensify, with cooler weather “and maybe even a few sprinkles as a weak front moves through,” Mass said.
Summer’s Not Wrapping Up Just Yet
But after a few days of clouds and cooler weather early next week, Mass says the temperatures will rebound and summer will return.
"So this is really an amazing situation,” said Mass, recalling that the average of July and August temperatures has already hit an all-time record for weather stations from SeaTac to Wenatchee. “In some sense, we are living through the warmest, sunniest summer in historical record. It’s been great.”
But we’ve got a few more weeks until we get the final numbers.
“So what a lot of us are looking for now is the real, astronomical summer, from June 21 to Sept. 21. Will that be the warmest? We’ll see what happens later this month,” Mass said.
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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.
