Warm and Dry Condition to Land in the Pacific Northwest

Posted: June 15, 2021 1:25 pm

Change is on the way for the Pacific Northwest as the chilly and dreary weather pattern is finally about to give way to more seasonable conditions.

Cool and Rainy Conditions About to Break: It has not felt much like summer in the Pacific Northwest. While the majority of the West Coast has been under the stress of an ongoing heat wave, this little corner of the nation has been inundated with clouds and consistent rain. However, a major weather change is in store by the middle of the week.

As the jet stream moved farther south over the last several days, a steady stream of moisture has been delivering rain from the Pacific Ocean to much of the region. For example, Seattle saw 1.4 inches of rain between June 11 and 13, bringing the total rainfall measurement to 1.87 inches already for the month of June. This amount is well over the June average of 1.57 inches not even halfway through the month.

A little farther south, Portland has also seen a soggy last few weeks. The Rose City is already at 1.11 inches of rain for the month, more than halfway to its June average of 1.7 inches.

What is Next: The steady stream of moisture is expected to continue through Tuesday. While most of the rain will simply be showers, some isolated thunderstorms may fire up to the east of the Cascade Mountains. The good news for those tired of the rain is that a northward lift of the jet stream is going to move the rain out of the region. This will bring dry conditions to Pacific Northwest starting on Wednesday.

As the rain begins to move out of the region, temperatures will also begin to moderate. After hovering in the 60s over the last few days, Seattle will finally hit the 70-degree mark on Wednesday. This temperature range will increase even more as the week progresses with the high 70s on tap for Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures in the 70s are right around average for this time of the year for Seattle.

Down in Portland, the mercury will begin to climb into the 80s as the weekend approaches. The real heat will land a bit farther to the east as the interior areas of the Northwest begin to bake. Records may fall in cities such as Boise, Idaho, and Salt Lake City.

Elevated Fire Risk: While the change in weather patterns will be a welcome relief for those people ready for summer, the dry and warm conditions will also bring about a higher risk of wildfires. The risk will be the highest in the interior region of the Northwest where conditions have been mostly dry this month

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