Updated Wednesday 3:35 p.m.
A weather system moving into the Puget Sound region could bring a cornucopia of raindrops overnight, poised to end the relentless 6-hour drought that Seattle has suffered through. Wind gusts could top a hair-gel busting 20 mph. The mayor's office is considering declaring an urgent "State of Usualness" which directs utilities and emergency workers to... stay on their normal schedules and enjoy their regularly scheduled time off at home! Could a "Routine Weather Advisory" be issued next?!?
OK, I'm admittedly reaching here. Winter is supposed to be our meteorological Super Bowl and here we are sliding into mid-February with our greatest trophies this winter consisting of a 12 day fog streak and a December with just four dry days. Phoenix has even had snow in the suburbs this winter. Even New England, who also has had a rather bland winter to this point, has found "Nemo" and is facing a major blizzard (OK, we don't need to go *that* far, but maybe a little snow out here?)
Instead, we are trending back dry again, although we have about another 36 hours that will pass for excitement until the dry stretch begins.
That "cornucopia" of light rain will become increasingly steady this evening and remain with us overnight. It might even be enough to form a puddle or three so take it very carefully out there if you're only wearing socks. Winds will gust to about 20-25 mph which means if power is knocked out at your home, you need to find another utility. Or solar power. Or an ambitious hamster, a wheel, and a few power cords. Lows will be around 40.
Thursday will see some rain early in the day but rain will taper to showers and decrease through the afternoon. But we have a great challenge in figuring out high temperatures as forecast models are all over the place. One model is stating it will be 47 while another is radically different, forecasting 46. And what's worse, it had 48 in earlier runs but is now flip-flopping and we're going grey trying to decide which model is right and... OK, sorry. Still trying to make it exciting. We'll go with 47 and cross our fingers that one is right :)
Friday begins our dry streak as another ridge of high pressure forms. We'll start with areas of fog and try to clear it away to at least some partial sunshine in the afternoon -- especially away from Puget Sound and in the hills. Highs will top out in the upper 40s.
The remnants of a weak system that will have been defeated by our ridge will slide through on Saturday. About its only effect will be to make it a bit cloudier so even if you do clear the fog, don't expect much sun. Highs will drop to the mid 40s.
We have a better chance of generally sunny skies Sunday outside and above the fog but again, many of you might be treated to incessant fog horns than sunshine. Highs will range from the low-mid 40s in the fog to upper 40s outside.
Monday and Tuesday are a bit like Saturday -- weak system tosses clouds, but no rain. So mostly cloudy with areas of persistent fog are the way to go. A better chance of sunshine for Wednesday but still that stubborn fog in spots.
Long range models show... *sigh*. This is like the anti-snow team has the ball with about 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter up 10 points and is now running the ball to burn the clock. And the snow team is dearth on time outs.
We should get some routine rain showers toward the end of next week but not much else. The weather pattern is trying to set up in mid-February to where arctic air bottles up in Alaska and gets fed south -- the first needed steps we need for a big arctic chill around here -- but as it has done the few times it's had a similar set up earlier this fall and winter, the ridge of high pressure offshore is too far east and that's pushing the arctic air further east into the Midwest instead of British Columbia and the Northwest. And now we're getting into the Feb. 20's. So looks like the anti-snow team will be able to drain the clock to about 3 1/2 minutes. Snow fans can only hope for a Russell Wilson-esque late-season rally.
At least we'll have the 2 minute warning :)
Scott Sistek
KOMONews.com Meteorologist
Follow me on Twitter @ScottSKOMO and on Facebook.
