Impressive Looking Atmospheric River

The incoming weather system has sub-tropical moisture embedded in it, which tracks all the way across the Pacific to near Taiwan.

NOAA weather satellite image across the north Pacific that highlights the long stream of sub-tropical moisture extending well into the western Pacific that will accompany the wet and windy storm late Thursday into Friday. (Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

In addition, this system is being driven by the season’s strongest jet stream thus far this season. Up around 30,000 feet, where commercial jets fly, the jet stream has westerly winds of 150 to 200 mph.

Much Needed Rain

As this system swings onshore, rain will spread inland from the coast late Thursday into Friday. Rain amounts through Friday night will range from two to four inches along the coast and in the mountains, and one to two inches elsewhere in western Washington. These rain amounts will help with the current dry conditions.

The rain will likely be heavy at times, resulting in local ponding of water on roadways, creating the potential for hydroplaning. Motorists should take it easy, slow down, and give plenty of room behind the vehicle in front.

In the mountains, snow levels will be relatively high, above 6,000 feet, through Friday. Given that rivers and streams all have relatively low stream flows, no river flooding is anticipated.

Winds

Strong southerly winds are anticipated to develop ahead of this weather system on Thursday, reaching 25 to 40 mph with gusts to 50 mph overnight along the coast and from Whidbey and Camano Island northward to the Canadian border. Winds elsewhere are expected to be about 15 to 25 mph. Local power outages are possible and something to prepare for in advance.

Storm Drains

The blustery winds will likely knock down leaves from the region’s trees. Combined with the rain, storm drains are likely to accumulate leaves in the rain runoff, potentially clogging the drains and producing water backups on roadways. Local utilities ask residents to help clear storm drains of leaves during this stormy weather.

Falling Mountain Snow Levels This Weekend

This weather system will continue inland on Friday night. Yet another following weather system is forecast to develop off the coast Saturday, producing another bout of wet and windy weather.

This system will also track inland and be followed by a much cooler unstable air mass for showers. By Sunday, mountain snow levels are expected to fall to their lowest levels of the season thus far, close to 3,000 feet. Snow amounts are forecast to range from eight to 18 inches of fresh snow.

Higher mountain passes like Rainy Pass, Stevens Pass, Blewett Pass, White Pass, and Chinook and Cayuse Passes likely get their first significant accumulating snow on and approaching the passes. Motorists need to be prepared for winter weather driving conditions. Snoqualmie Pass, at nearly 3,000 feet, is not likely to have snow collect on I-90, yet it will likely see snowflakes in the air at times.

The rest of western Washington can expect a mix of showers and sunbreaks Sunday, with cool daytime temperatures only in the 50s and overnight lows in the 40s.

Looking Ahead

During the final week of the month, more Pacific weather systems are expected to track onshore with more rain at times. For those planning for trick-or-treaters, conditions appear to be wet. High temperatures during the week will remain rather cool, only in the 50s.

The latest longer-range outlook into early November offers some warming, but with wetter-than-average conditions. Yes, active fall weather is here.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

A healthy Pacific weather system is swinging through western Washington over the weekend. Rain started along the coast Saturday afternoon, with the bulk of it falling overnight Saturday.

Blustery winds also accompanied the weather system late Saturday and into early Sunday. Along the coast and the north interior from about Everett northward, southerly winds of 20 to 35 mph are expected. Given that many trees still have leaves, there is the potential for fallen limbs and isolated power outages.

Winds for the rest of the western interior, including the Seattle and Tacoma areas, are forecast in the 15 to 25 mph range overnight Saturday.

Sunday

The weather system will head further inland Sunday, leaving behind showers with sunbreaks and decreasing winds to be the rule in western Washington. The only exception will be blustery westerly winds blowing from the west through the Strait of Juan de Fuca into the Whidbey Island area.

Temperatures and total rain amounts

High temperatures over the weekend are expected to be cooler than average, only in the 50s. Nighttime readings, though, will be milder than the chilly conditions earlier this week, primarily falling into the 40s.

Total rain amounts through much of the western interior will range from a third to six-tenths of an inch. Along the coast and in the mountains, one to two inches of precipitation is anticipated.

Mountains

If heading into the mountains, snow levels will be relatively high on Saturday, around the 7,500-foot mark. However, as the weather system plows inland, snow levels will fall to around 4,500 feet on Sunday. Be prepared for the dramatic change in weather conditions this weekend.

Next week

Looking ahead to next week, the Sunday showers are expected to taper off on Monday with periods of sunshine. After that, a parade of Pacific weather systems is forecast to march onshore with periods of rain through much of the week. After all, it is typical fall weather.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

Those who already have and can register include families, businesses, schools, health care facilities, faith-based organizations, neighborhood groups, and more.

The Great Shakeout is not just a Washington event, but a worldwide event. Millions around the globe will participate by practicing the “drop, cover, and hold” technique under a desk, table, or other sturdy items in case of an earthquake. In recent years, many have had fun at work, school, or elsewhere by taking photos and videos while under a table or desk and posting them on social media.

Where to hear the Great Shakeout

The drill will kick off when the Emergency Alert System (EAS) is activated at 10:16 a.m. Thursday on the National Weather Service’s NOAA Weather Radio network statewide, and aired by all radio and TV broadcasters and cable systems, and that includes KIRO Newsradio, Seattle Sports, and Seattle Red.

Recent smaller earthquakes around Vancouver Island and across western Washington serve as reminders that Washington is earthquake country, the second-most threatened state in the nation behind California. There are many earthquake faults around the region, including the Tacoma fault, the Seattle fault, and the South Whidbey Island fault, which geological history has shown can all produce 7.0 magnitude quakes or greater.

Then there is the Cascadia Subduction Zone, approximately 100 miles off the coast, that stretches from northern Vancouver Island to northern California. The last time that the earthquake zone “let go” was on January 26, 1700, with an estimated 9.0 magnitude tremor. Shaking lasted for up to 5 minutes and generated a Pacific-wide tsunami, with tsunami waves inundating coastal regions and extending into western Washington’s interior waters.

Geologists indicate this earthquake source releases pressure about every 300 to 500 years, meaning it could occur at any time now. This subduction zone is similar to others around the Pacific Ocean basin, including the one off the coast of Japan, which produced a major earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, and another recently off eastern Russia.

“People living on or visiting the coastal areas where we have tsunami sirens should know that as close to 10:16 a.m. as possible, we will be testing the sirens with the full wailing capability. This is supposed to happen, so do not call 911,” Hollie Stark of Washington State Emergency Management said.

There are more than 100 outdoor siren systems along the outer coast, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and in the North Sound region, including Anacortes, Edmonds, and the Everett waterfront.

Potential tsunamis after an earthquake

When a big earthquake occurs, it is also essential to know if you are in a low-lying coastal tsunami inundation hazard zone. Ground shaking may be the only warning before tsunami waves arrive. Knowing in advance evacuation routes and where to move to higher ground, including vertical evacuation in multi-story buildings or towers, is imperative. Many outer Washington coastal schools will also practice their tsunami evacuation plans following the earthquake drill.

“Earthquakes have happened here in the past, and they will happen again,” Stark said. “If you only think about earthquake protective actions once a year, ShakeOut is the time to do it, while we are not in an actual emergency. Plus, you can make your drill fun!”

Stark noted, “If you ask yourself this question, we hope it helps you think of some steps you can take right now to make your home, work, and life a bit safer from earthquakes.”

Earthquakes are no-notice events. Also, use the Shakealert app for quakes that are further away and offer a short time to prepare.

This year’s Great Shakeout earthquake drill also focuses on being prepared and safe wherever you may be at the time an earthquake occurs.

For instance, people spend about a third of their lives asleep. If you are in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow until the shaking stops. Have a pair of hard-soled shoes under the bed to put on after the quake. Many injuries occur when walking in the dark with bare feet. Also consider a flashlight, gloves, light sticks, and even a hard hat under your bed. Here is a helpful short video on earthquake safety while in bed.

Daily lives also occur at work, school, shopping, or while traveling. Schools use this event as their October monthly emergency drill.

What to do when an earthquake strikes

It is crucial to consider earthquake safety actions wherever you may be when a quake strikes. Communication with loved ones and work staff is also important. Phone systems will likely be overwhelmed in the wake of an earthquake.

A graphic indicating what to do when an earthquake strikes. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Emergency Management)

Having a backup communication plan can be critical. The Great Shakeout drill offers the chance to practice your backup communication plan. Know in advance how and who to reach in case phone and power systems go out of service, which will be quite likely.

Stark added, following the Great Shakeout drill, “Do a home hazard hunt. Check with your students and their schools’ reunification plans, sign up for local alerts, and learn more about earthquake early warning at mil.wa.gov/alerts.”

To register for the Great Shakeout Washington and learn more information about this annual earthquake drill and how to better prepare your home, workplace, school, and more for earthquakes, visit ShakeOut.org. Thursday morning’s Great Shakeout drill will offer the opportunity to practice dropping, covering, and holding on under a sturdy structure for a minute, and have fun doing it!

As Stark highlighted, “Remember! You can survive, if you get prepared!” Register today at shakeout.org/washington

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

Hurricanes are tropical cyclones fueled primarily by warm sea surface temperatures of 80 degrees or warmer. The waters in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico continue to have quite warm temperatures in the mid and upper 80s, giving an exceptional jolt of energy, rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones into hurricanes.

As those who venture into the ocean along the outer coast know, the waters in the northern Pacific are much cooler than 80 degrees. Yet strong, dangerous windstorms can and do develop.

In fact, they frequently happen across the northern Pacific during the fall and winter seasons. One such intense storm is forecast to move into the Gulf of Alaska a week from now. The only impact for western Washington from this storm will be rising ocean swells along the outer coast during that time.

No tropical cyclones, but ‘bomb cyclones’ threaten western WA

The storms that intensify rapidly are called meteorological bombs or the new term some have adopted – bomb cyclones. These are North Pacific storms that intensify by a drop of 24 millibars of atmospheric pressure or more in 24 hours or less. We often do not hear of these storms until they approach western Washington.

The last strong, widespread, damaging wind storm to strike western Washington was the Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm of December 2006. Winds along the coast peaked over 100 mph, while in the western interior, wind gusts reached up to 80 mph, blowing hundreds of trees down. More than 1.5 million people lost electric power, and some were without power for more than a week.

Other memorable big strong impactful wind storms in recent decades include the 1993 Inauguration Day Storm that packed winds up to 65 mph, the 1979 Hood Canal Storm that had winds of 80 mph bringing down the floating bridge, the December 12, 1995, storm with winds up to 80 mph, and the November 14, 1981, wind storm which had gusts up to 75 mph.

Yet the granddaddy of them all, the wind storm that all other wind storms are compared to, is the 1962 Columbus Day Storm, the strongest non-tropical wind storm to ever hit the lower 48 in American history. Winds along the Oregon and Washington coast had gusts up to 150 mph, and western interior winds from Eugene, Oregon, north to Vancouver, BC, were in excess of 100 mph.

The storm along the west coast claimed 46 lives, hundreds were injured, thousands of buildings were destroyed, power outages for millions from the San Francisco Bay Area to British Columbia, and it blew down 15 billion board feet of timber from the coast to western Montana, enough lumber to build a million homes.

Hurricane-force winds have struck WA before and could again

The Washington State Climatologist Office estimated the region has a strong, damaging wind storm with winds up to 60 mph approximately every 10 to 20 years. Windstorms with hurricane-force winds occur far less frequently, yet they impact the region with downed trees and power and communication outages for extended periods of time. In the wake of the Columbus Day Storm, many did not have power restored for more than two weeks.

In the wake of the 1962 Columbus Day Storm, utility crews across the nation moved into the region to help restore power. The effort was exceptionally challenging since big BPA transmission towers carrying hydroelectric power from east of the Cascades were toppled to the ground. Some did not get power restored until November.

In the Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm of December 2006, Puget Sound Energy noted that they lost 70% of their infrastructure, which included the loss of power lines and power poles by the hundreds.

In 1962, the western Washington population was approximately 1.25 million residents. Today, the population is close to 7 million.

What if another Columbus Day Storm struck the region today? The impact would be immense, leaving millions without electricity for days, if not weeks.

As it happened with the August 2023 Maui wildfire, cell phone towers would be without power, leaving cell phones likely useless. As it did in the Columbus Day wind storm, uprooted trees would knock out water and natural gas lines. Gasoline would be in short supply since most service stations don’t have backup power generators to operate their pumps.

Recommended preparation techniques

With the Great ShakeOut earthquake drill coming up on Oct. 16, a major earthquake would also disrupt power, communications, and water and gas service for an extended period of time.

Could the region handle being without these services for an extended period while response teams work to rebuild the infrastructure? That is a good question and one everyone should ask themselves, and consider the necessary actions to take in advance of any major disaster.

As the 63rd anniversary of the 1962 Columbus Day Storm (Oct. 12) arrives, you may be motivated to take action and better prepare your home, business, car, pets, and more. Visit ready.gov or your local emergency management organization’s website for helpful lists and tips. Getting started on preparing in advance is the big first step and does not involve large expenses.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

With the exception of March, the winter and spring months had well below-average rainfall for the year heading into summer. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was nearly five inches below normal for the year through May.

That dry trend continued through much of the summer. Only August had more than the usual rainfall for the month by just more than a tenth of an inch. By the end of September, SEA had finished more than seven inches of rain below average for its annual precipitation thus far.

Elsewhere in western Washington

For the summer months, Olympia finished more than two inches below average, resulting in a total of more than nine inches behind on rainfall for the year. Bellingham was also drier than normal for the summer, but fared better than much of western Washington. For the year, Bellingham was about 3.5 inches below average.

Along the coast, the usually quite wet Forks finished the summer with more than 23 inches of rainfall below average for the year. Forks normally receives more than 100 inches of rain per year. Hoquiam was also dry this summer and finished September about nine inches drier than normal for the year.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these dry conditions have resulted in moderate to severe drought conditions across not only western Washington but the entire state.

Summer temperatures

With SEA reaching 91 degrees on Sept. 16, that was the eighth time SEA reached 90 degrees or better. The average number of 90-degree days at SEA since 2015 has been eight. The average during the 20th century was only three. The hottest day of the year was July 16, with a temperature of 94 degrees.

Olympia reached more than 90 degrees 13 times during the summer. The hottest day of 95 degrees was reached on both Aug. 12 and 24.

Forks also soared to 95 degrees on Aug. 11. Bellingham’s high point was 89 degrees, also on Aug. 11. Hoquiam’s warmest day of the summer was 88 degrees on Sept. 16.

The summer in western Washington was again warmer than average. SEA was overall 1.2 degrees above average, while Olympia was nearly two degrees above normal for the four-month period from June to September.

Wildfires

The warm, dry conditions led to a large number of wildfires across the state. According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, more than 1600 wildfires have been reported in the state. In western Washington, the most significant and persistent wildfire has been the Bear Gulch fire in Mason County that started near the beginning of July. That fire has burned over 20,000 acres and continues to burn.

Wildfire smoke again was an issue across much of the state this summer. Wildfire smoke has adversely impacted air quality seven out of the last nine summers, dating back to 2017 when numerous wildfires in British Columbia spread smoke south into Washington.

Looking ahead

October arrived along with the fall season’s first wet storm. Now, higher pressure aloft has built over the Pacific Northwest for a return to dry conditions that will likely persist into the coming weekend.

If longer-range forecast charts are on track, rainfall is anticipated to resume later in the weekend, along with cooler-than-average temperatures. The latest seasonal weather outlook indicates cooler and wetter-than-average conditions for December through February. That outlook offers promise of a healthier mountain snowpack.

The seasonal weather outlook also suggests that the additional rainfall will provide some relief from this year’s dry conditions and ease the drought situation.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

In August, according to the World Climate Service, the average North Pacific sea surface temperatures from north of the equator to the Gulf of Alaska were around 20 degrees Celsius, or 68 degrees Fahrenheit – the warmest on record, with records dating back to the mid-1800s.

“The last major event was in 2019, lasting into 2020,” retired Washington Climatologist Nick Bond said,

The World Climate Service noted that the 2019 event was the previous record for the warmest North Pacific Ocean waters at 19 degrees C. Another significant “blob” event started in 2013 and peaked in 2014-15.

Weather impacts

“Warm(er) water results in a tendency for warmer air temperatures, especially on the west side of the Cascades,” Bond said. “It is no coincidence that our worst (recent) snowpack on record was during the winter of 2014-15.”

The latest seasonal weather outlook indicates a tendency for La Niña to return this winter, with odds favoring a cooler and wetter winter than average, which typically results in a healthy mountain snowpack. Nick Bond highlights that ocean sea surface temperature guidance anticipates a cooling trend moving into the winter season, meaning a lower impact on moderating Western Washington temperatures.

Yet this fall, the “blob” could play a role in rain events.

“If we happen to get an atmospheric river from the southwest, it will mean quite high freezing levels and hence that much worse flooding,” Bond said.

Marine life impacts

The warmer ocean temperatures also impact the marine ecosystem. Cold-water plankton and salmon, for instance, struggle to manage the warmer water temperatures that, in turn, impact the marine food supply cycle. On the other side of the coin, tuna and sardines actually benefit from the warmer ocean temperatures.

During “blob” events, there is less low-level offshore flow from the Pacific Northwest toward the ocean that produces upwelling with colder water from below reaching the surface in the coastal region. The upwelling spreads more nutrients that sea life uses. When there is less upwelling, those nutrients fail to spread as usual, resulting in less available oxygen in the water. These factors and others result in a disruption in the overall marine ecosystem.

“Species that prefer colder water, such as salmon, tend to have poorer prey fields, leading to reduced survival as juveniles and eventually lower returns as adults,” Bond highlighted. “The first few months at sea are particularly critical for salmon. Warmer waters can also mean more predators, such as mackerel, that are often restricted to regions to the south.

“Finally, warmer water along our coast can be, but is not always, accompanied by more harmful algal blooms,” Bond added. “The tricky part here is that the plankton responsible sometimes produce the toxin, and sometimes not, and so the monitoring by NOAA and the Washington Department of Health is really important. When that toxin, domoic acid, reaches critical levels, commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting needs to be shut down right away, with major economic consequences.”

As this fall and winter unfold, weather and ocean authorities will be monitoring the evolution of the “blob” and its impacts on the region’s weather and ocean waters, including marine life.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

Why the weather pattern change?

During the week, three strong tropical cyclones in the Western Pacific have been quite active. At this time of year, these kinds of tropical cyclones, once they weaken as they drift north into the North Pacific storm track, play a role in changing the overall weather pattern that impacts the Pacific Northwest.

Earlier this week, Typhoon Ragasa ravaged Taiwan, southern China, and northern Vietnam with damaging winds and heavy rainfall. Another storm developed north of the Philippines. The third, formally named Neoguri, drifted north well east of Japan and recently injected a lot of moisture into the North Pacific storm track. That moisture helped energize a Pacific weather system that will track the bulk of its rain and wind into southeast Alaska this weekend.

The tail end of that system is forecasted to bring some rain into Western Washington late Sunday into Monday. It will also open the door for additional weather systems to swing into the region through much of next week.

The weekend ahead

For this weekend, Saturday will offer morning clouds and afternoon sunshine with highs climbing into the upper 60s to mid-70s. Sunday will involve an increase in cloud cover with rain developing late. Highs will likely range from 65 to 70 degrees for much of the western interior.

Weather next week

Next week is expected to have on-and-off rain with high temperatures mainly in the 60s. Wednesday may bring a strong, developing low-pressure system well off the coast, which could produce blustery winds along the coast, in the north interior, and in the Cascade foothills. This weather system bears watching heading into early next week.

Current drought conditions

The change in the weather pattern providing periods of rain is expected to begin digging into the year’s rain deficit across the region. Currently, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is more than seven inches of rain below average, Olympia is more than 10 inches behind, and the usually wet Forks is in excess of 23 inches below for the year.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of the state remains in moderate to severe drought. The expected rain over the next week will help alleviate some of the drought conditions and wash away lingering wildfire smoke in the region. Overall though, it is going to take quite a bit more rain to fully extinguish all the fires across the state.

The weather outlook for October indicates an increased likelihood of warmer-than-average temperatures and higher chances of wetter-than-average conditions. Perhaps more progress on reducing the rain deficit can continue next month.

If you’re considering winterizing your outdoor deck furniture and plants, this weekend offers the perfect opportunity, as rain is expected next week.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

Why do leaves change colors?

The change from green leaf colors is driven primarily by the shrinking hours of daylight and the growing length of nights. Depending on the variety of tree, biochemical processes in leaves end the production of green chlorophyll, unmasking two other chemicals already within leaves — carotenoids and anthocyanins, revealing their colors.

Weather conditions also play a role in the brilliance of leaf colors, with temperature and moisture the primary influences. The amount of moisture in the soil also impacts autumn colors.

Like the weather, soil moisture varies from year to year. These two highly variable factors result in no autumn season tree colors and timing being alike. A dry year like the region has had this year can delay the onset of fall colors by a few weeks.

In contrast, a warm, wet spring, a warm summer, and warm, sunny fall days with cool nights can produce the most brilliant fall colors in trees.

Timing

Trees in higher elevations usually begin the change in leaf colors before lower elevation trees do the same, usually within a matter of days or a few weeks.

In the Cascades and Olympic Mountains, the leaves on trees are starting to turn to their vibrant fall colors. As the calendar rolls over into October, tree leaves in the lowlands of the Western Washington will follow suit.

Weather into this weekend

As the fall season gets underway this week, more dry weather with a mix of morning clouds and fog, and afternoon sunshine is expected. High temperatures are expected to be quite seasonable with highs in the 60s and the usually warmer spots cracking the 70-degree mark.

Where to view

This weather pattern is anticipated to extend into this weekend, offering a great opportunity to view the emerging autumn colors. With mountain trees leading off the transition to fall colors, great places to view these vibrant colors through the weekend are over the two Mt. Rainier highway passes, Cayuse and Chinook Passes.

Another full day route is taking the Cascade Loop National Scenic Byway that involves Stevens Pass Highway and the North Cascades Highway. The I-90 corridor over Snoqualmie Pass and the side roads in and around Cle Elum also offer colorful opportunities.

Moving into October, Western Washington lowland trees will display the colors of their leaves.

If you enjoy colorful autumn tree leaves, don’t delay. The fall rainy and windy season will get started at some point, likely in October, with trees being stripped of their leaves. In the meantime, enjoy what nature has to offer with autumn colors, including Japanese Maples and their brilliant red color.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

On Tuesday though, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) soared to 91 degrees thanks to warm easterly winds off the Cascades, tying the record high for Sept. 16.

Those easterly winds gave way to low-level onshore winds from the Pacific Ocean, cooling temperatures back down into the 70s for the rest of the week.

But that single day of 91 on Tuesday pushed the number of 90+ degree days to eight for the year, matching the average established since 2015. In the 20th century, Seattle averaged only three 90-degree days per year.

Fall Equinox is Monday

The fall equinox is coming up on Monday, Sept. 22, at 11:16 a.m. The fall equinox is also known as the autumnal equinox, and the following day is the first full day of fall.

This time of year, daylight hours reach their peak, losing nearly 3.5 minutes per day. The last 7 p.m. sunset of the year will occur on Thursday, Sept. 25. During the days around the fall equinox, sunrise and sunset will both be around 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for a total of about 12 hours of daylight.

In contrast, back in late June, there were close to 16 hours of daylight.

That decreasing daylight momentum will gradually slow as we get closer to the winter solstice in the latter part of December, bottoming out at about eight hours and 20 minutes around the solstice.

Both the spring and fall equinoxes are the only two moments each year when the Sun lies directly above Earth’s equator. Our planet tilts about 23.5 degrees off its axis. As Earth makes its annual rotation around the Sun, for six months the North Pole is tilted toward the Sun for our spring and summer. For the other six months, it is the South Pole that is tilted toward the Sun, resulting in our fall and winter seasons.

Taste of fall this weekend

Speaking of fall, the weather forecast for this weekend will offer a taste of fall as a weakening Pacific weather system works its way onshore.

More cloud cover and some rain are expected, with high temperatures struggling to reach 70 degrees. The bulk of the rainfall is anticipated to fall overnight Saturday into Sunday morning. Although amounts will not be enough to douse ongoing wildfires, they will help cleanse the air of smoke.

Seasonal weather outlook

With La Niña slated to return as the seasons roll into fall and winter, the latest seasonal weather outlook reflects a typical La Niña season. La Niña is the opposite sibling of El Niño, when the ocean waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the waters west of Peru, are cooler than average.

El Niño is when those same tropical waters are warmer than average.

La Niña and El Niño make big adjustments in how the North Pacific storm track behaves. For La Niña, Pacific storms spend more time moving onshore into the Pacific Northwest as opposed to El Niño, when the storm track takes a more constant path into California and beyond across the southern tier of the U.S.

El Niño winter seasons for Western Washington tend to be warmer than average and lean toward below-average precipitation and a much poorer mountain snowpack.

La Niña winters are sharply different. They tend to be cooler and wetter than average, and produce a healthy mountain snowpack. The latest seasonal weather outlook reflects that pattern, and if it pans out, more rainfall and mountain snow lie ahead this winter.

The outlook for this fall offers greater chances of wetter than average conditions. By this winter, the rainfall outlook shows no real trend above, below, or near average precipitation.

For temperatures, the new outlook indicates no trend of above, below, or near average conditions this fall, but for winter, the odds tip toward cooler than average temperatures.

This latest seasonal weather outlook offers hope that more significant rainfall lies just ahead this fall, which will help bring the wildfire season to an end. With cooler-than-average temperatures indicated for this winter, that trend also offers hope for a healthy mountain snowpack and even a good chance of at least one lowland snow event in Western Washington.

As the summer season comes to an end, wetter weather is anticipated this fall. If the seasonal weather outlook is on track, that rainfall will help make up the deficit and ease the current drought conditions across the state.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

The wildfire along I-5 that burned into a Beacon Hill neighborhood on Sunday demonstrated that Washington’s wildfire season is not over.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Meanwhile, the weather pattern heading into Tuesday of this week will heighten the threat of wildfire conditions further.

High pressure building aloft over the Pacific Northwest—combined with low-level offshore flow blowing from eastern Washington toward the coast Tuesday—will rapidly warm and dry conditions.

High temperatures Tuesday are expected to jump 10 to 15 degrees from Monday’s readings, climbing into the 80s in many locations. The air flow from eastern Washington will also likely draw in some wildfire smoke from the more than a dozen fires east of the Cascades.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport’s (SEA) record high on Tuesday is 91 degrees, set in 1967. So the rapid warm-up will not likely be record-breaking. Yet given the ongoing dry conditions and big warm up, wildfires could more easily be started and spread rapidly. The Beacon Hill/I-5 fire clearly showed how dry conditions are, and Sunday was a cooler, cloudier day!

Did the rain on Sunday help?

The rain on Sunday was quite limited and literally was a drop in the big rain deficit bucket. SEA is now nearly 7 inches of rain behind for the year, and Everett-Paine Field is over 13 inches below normal, only 30% of average.

The North Sound received the bulk of Sunday’s rain, with many locations getting around a tenth of an inch. A few locations, though, did manage to receive close to a half-inch of welcome rain.

The big Tuesday warm-up, fortunately, will be short-lived. Low-level onshore flow from the Pacific Ocean into western Washington is forecast to return Wednesday. High temperatures are expected to drop back down into the 70s as the region resumes the weather pattern of areas of morning clouds and fog with afternoon sunshine.

Any significant rain in sight?

The rest of this week looks to remain dry with highs in the 70s. This weekend, though, a weakening Pacific weather system moving primarily into British Columbia will bring another threat of light rain, similar to this past Sunday’s limited rainfall.

After that, and if longer-range forecast charts are on track, a weather system with more substantial rainfall is possible by the middle of next week. That event looks promising right now.

Until then, the threat of wildfires remains high, and until a “wetting rain” arrives, continue to follow ongoing outdoor burn bans, tighten tow chains on trailers, and avoid tossing any burning materials out of vehicles.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

Many are now asking—when will it really rain? There are concerns about the ongoing wildfires across the Pacific Northwest, wildfire smoke and poorer air quality, and simply—it is just too dry! Rain is needed to douse the fires, cleanse the air, and have nature irrigate the landscape.

The lingering pleasant summer weather is also welcomed by many with this week’s morning clouds and fog, and afternoon sunshine with high temperatures climbing into the 70s. Yet, some are singing the Creedence Clearwater Revival song—”Have You Ever Seen The Rain?”

Seattle weather forecast—rain this weekend?

Heading into the weekend, some rain is set to arrive. If you have weekend plans, Saturday is the day for outdoor activities. Higher pressure aloft is forecast to hold, resulting in another day of morning clouds and fog, revealing afternoon sunshine and high temperatures again reaching the 70s. If heading to the mountains, freezing levels will be way up there, around 14,000 feet.

By Sunday, though, the high pressure aloft is expected to shift inland as a weakening Pacific weather system works its way onshore, bringing showers to much of western Washington and cooler temperatures. Highs are forecast to drop into the 60s. Coastal areas and the mountains may receive 1/2 to 1 inch of rainfall, while the western interior is anticipated to get perhaps as much as a quarter inch or more. Mountain snow levels are forecast to drop to near 8,000 feet.

Looking at next week’s forecast

But that’s it for a while as higher pressure is forecast to rebuild over the Pacific Northwest next week for a return to dry weather and more afternoon sunshine following morning clouds and fog.

Any lingering showers will taper off by Monday morning, and before mid-week, high temperatures are expected to climb back into the 70s across much of the western Washington interior.

Oh so dry

The region could sure use the rain. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of the state is in moderate to extreme drought. The year’s rainfall statistics back that up.

For instance, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is over 2 2/3 inches behind on rainfall thus far this year—only 70% of average. Olympia has a nearly 10-inch rain deficit for the year, 65% of normal. Usually wet Forks on the north coast is close to a giant 24 inches of rain behind for the year, only 59% of average.

The latest weather outlook that runs into the fourth week of this month shows good chances of above-average temperatures and near or below normal precipitation. The average high temperature in mid-September is in the mid-70s. By the time the calendar reaches the fall equinox on September 22, average high temperatures edge down to around 70 degrees thanks to shorter days and longer nights.

This time of year, the region is losing close to 3 1/2 minutes of daylight each day. The last 7:30 p.m. sunset of the year in Seattle was on September 10. September 25 will mark the final 7 p.m. sunset of the year.

Any significant rain in sight?

In the longer range, is there any significant rain in sight? If extended forecast guidance is any indication, nothing substantial is anticipated. It may take until near the end of this month or into early October before a real ‘wetting rain’ could unfold.

Reviewing the latest seasonal outlook for this fall and winter, the trend is for a weak La Niña to return for this winter.

La Niña is the opposite sibling of El Niño, when the ocean waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean tropical waters—the waters west of Peru—are cooler than average. El Niño is when those same tropical waters are warmer than average.

La Niña and El Niño make big adjustments in how the North Pacific storm track behaves. For La Niña, Pacific storms spend more time moving onshore into the Pacific Northwest as opposed to El Niño, when the storm track takes a more constant path into California and beyond across the southern tier of the U.S.

El Niño winter seasons for western Washington tend to be warmer than average and lean toward below-average precipitation and a much poorer mountain snowpack.

La Niña winters are sharply different. They tend to be cooler and wetter than average, and produce a healthy mountain snowpack. The current seasonal weather outlook reflects that pattern, and if it pans out, then more rainfall and mountain snow lie ahead this winter. By then, perhaps some will be singing Supertramp’s “It’s Raining Again.”

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

The final days of the summer season are here until the fall equinox on Monday, September 22. Days are getting shorter and nights longer.

This time of year, each day is shorter by close to three and a half minutes, a subtle reminder that the winter season is not far away. That fact is why September is National Preparedness Month, the best time to prepare for whatever nature throws at us in the coming months—in advance.

Western Washington’s fall and winter weather often involves heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides, along with strong, damaging windstorms, and lowland snow and ice. These kinds of adverse weather are the key reason to prepare ahead of time.

The latest seasonal weather outlook reflects that a weak La Niña is set to return for this winter. La Niña is the opposite sibling of El Niño, when the ocean waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, tropical waters—the waters west of Peru—are cooler than average. El Niño is when those same tropical waters are warmer than average, and that was the case this past winter.

La Niña and El Niño make big adjustments in how the North Pacific storm track behaves. For La Niña, Pacific storms spend more time moving onshore into the Pacific Northwest as opposed to El Niño, when the storm track takes a more consistent path into California and beyond to the east.

El Niño winter seasons for western Washington tend to be warmer than average and lean toward below-average precipitation and a poorer mountain snowpack.

La Niña winters are sharply different. They tend to be cooler and wetter than average, and produce a healthy mountain snowpack. Earlier this decade, there were three straight La Niña winters, quite rare—the winters of 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23. In each of these winters, the mountains received an above-average mountain snowpack, and the western Washington lowlands had snowfall and even freezing rain events impacting life.

Last winter was also a weak La Niña, but the weather pattern did not follow the usual path. What is usually a wet season turned out to be drier than normal, and the mountain snowpack finished below average.

Latest seasonal weather outlook for Pacific Northwest

The latest seasonal weather outlook for the latter part of fall and into winter offers increased odds of cooler than average temperatures and near or above average precipitation—a more typical La Niña weather outcome.

This trend also points to a healthy mountain snowpack by next spring, good news for snow enthusiasts and water and power generation authorities.

The outlook for the first half of fall, though, reflects near or warmer than average temperatures, with the odds tipping toward wetter than usual conditions.

Impacts of La Niña

Ranking El Niño, neutral (around average tropical eastern Pacific sea surface temperatures), and La Niña winters—La Niña is number one for producing lowland snow. Each of the three back-to-back La Niña winters earlier this decade resulted in lowland snow across much of western Washington.

The lowland snow season typically starts in mid-November and extends into March. Snow not only disrupts transportation but also often results in power outages. Many of the top 10 snowiest winters in western Washington have occurred during La Niña winters.

Windstorm preparedness

Now is also the time to get ready for the potential of strong, damaging windstorms, along with flooding and landslides.

The windstorm season usually begins in October. The nation’s strongest non-tropical wind storm for the lower 48 in American history occurred on October 12, 1962–the Columbus Day Storm. Winds in the interior of western Washington topped 100 mph, knocking down thousands of trees, damaging homes and utilities, with power out for over two weeks, and resulting in 46 fatalities.

This region usually gets a strong, widespread damaging wind storm about every 10 years or so. All other strong windstorms are compared to the granddaddy of them all–the Columbus Day Storm.

The last significant wind storm in this area was the Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm of December 2006. This region is way overdue. Perhaps ask this question: What if another Columbus Day-type wind storm struck again? Would you be ready for an extended period of time without power?

Some may point out that the “bomb cyclone” last November was a significant wind storm, and it was. Yet it did not create widespread wind speeds and damage, more limited to the Cascade foothills and extending into parts of the Puget Sound region, along with the outer coastal region. Many other areas had little or no strong winds and resulting wind damage.

Flood season late October

The flood season usually gets rolling in late October and runs through March. Flooding is number one for presidentially declared natural disasters in Washington. Given how warmer global temperatures hold more moisture, any storms that carry a higher volume of moisture can produce heavier rain amounts in the same time period.

It is quite possible these wet storms could dump more rain and result in more significant flooding than in the past. This issue has been the case not only across the country in recent years, but also around the world.

Weather resources

Are you ready for these hazards or perhaps an earthquake too? Now is the time to prepare.

For helpful tips and checklists for your home, car, pets, and more, go to ready.gov or the CDC winter preparedness website.

One key item for your home, business, school, health care facility, or place of worship is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio all-hazards—a lifesaver for the price of a pair of shoes.

Remember, when you are weather aware, you are weather prepared. To help protect you, your family, and your business, get prepared this month during National Preparedness Month, and you will be better prepared for whatever nature produces this fall and winter.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

Is summer weather coming to an end? I’ll get to that answer later, yet a change in the recent warm weather is expected to unfold this weekend and into the first half of next week.

An upper-level low well off the coast is forecast to spin clouds, spotty light showers, and cooler temperatures onshore during the weekend. Any rain amounts are anticipated to be limited.

A threat of late-day thunderstorms is possible in the mountains Saturday, mainly in the Cascades. So if there are plans to be in the mountains this weekend, be prepared for the possibility of lightning.

High temperatures in western Washington this weekend are expected to cool into the lower to mid-70s, with 60s along the outer coast. The average early September high temperature in the Puget Sound region is in the mid-70s.

Chance of wet weather next week in western Washington

Heading into the first half of next week, the weather could get wetter. The offshore upper-level is forecast to work its way into western Washington, bringing with it a greater chance of showers. Tuesday looks to be the wettest day. High temperatures will struggle to reach 70 degrees.

By Wednesday, the lowlands of Western Washington could have between a quarter and a half inch of rain. In the mountains, up to an inch of much-needed rain could accumulate.

Any rainfall will be welcome given the ongoing dry conditions. Much of the state is in moderate to extreme drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Seattle is over 6 inches below average for the year thus far, Olympia has a 9 and a half inch rain deficit, and usually wet Forks on the north coast is nearly 23 inches below normal for the year.

Lightning could spark new wildfires

Thanks to the dry conditions, the threat of wildfires remains elevated. The risk of lightning in the mountains this weekend could spark new wildfires.

The expected rainfall by the middle of next week, though, will help dampen those heightened wildfire concerns. The Bear Gulch wildfire in Mason County has been burning for about two months now. The rain will help put some water on this fire, along with the active Wildcat fire east of Mt Rainier that sent its share of smoke over Western Washington since Wednesday.

Smoke from both of these wildfires has helped create poorer air quality across much of western Washington, pushing into the moderate category in many areas. The anticipated rainfall will also help cleanse and improve air quality.

If longer-range weather charts are on track, weather conditions look to dry out again later next week with the sun reemerging. The 8-to-14-day outlook runs into mid-September

shows above-average temperatures. Yet the threat of any 90-degree days is basically over. The odds of temperatures climbing back into the 80s, though, remain possible, but grow smaller as the fall season approaches.

This time of year, each day is losing over three minutes of daylight. Sunsets are now coming before 7:45 p.m. By the time we reach the fall equinox on September 22, the loss of each day’s daylight will be close to three and a half minutes.

At this point, summer is anticipated to return late next week with more seasonable temperatures. So summer weather is not entirely over. Yet, fall is right around the corner. Enjoy the remaining days of summer.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

As another example, the months of December, January, and February mark Meteorological Winter – the coldest months of the year, while June, July, and August are the hottest months and are considered Meteorological Summer.

Astronomical Fall, commonly called the first day of fall, starts with the Fall Equinox and runs through until the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, in late December. So the difference between the Astronomical and Meteorological seasons simply comes down to the start and end dates.

If it seems summers are running longer in recent years, your sense would be on target. Studies have shown that since the 1950s, the global summer season is now an average of three weeks longer, starting earlier in the spring and extending into fall. Recall in 2022, high temperatures in the Puget Sound area soared into the 80s on Oct. 16, the warmest ever for so late in the year.

Regardless, fall is just around the corner as the days get shorter, nights longer, and cooler, wetter weather returns. In the meantime, enjoy the remaining summer weather until those fall rains arrive.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

Here is what you need to know before you go.

Weather

Overall, for Western Washington, the Labor Day holiday weekend is expected to have seasonable temperatures, much cooler than a week ago. There will be a mix of clouds and sunshine with highs climbing into the 70s to lower 80s in the interior, including the Puget Sound region. Any threat of showers should remain in the mountains, including a risk of late-day thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday.

For the outer coast, that region will also have a mix of clouds and sun with high temperatures ranging from the mid-60s to the 70s.

If heading east of the Cascades, the forecast calls for a chance of showers and afternoon thunderstorms on Friday into Saturday, followed by clearing skies into Monday. High temperatures will be quite warm, reaching into the 80s and 90s.

Given the ongoing very dry conditions, wildfire danger will remain quite high across the state. All precautions to prevent wildfires must be taken, including ensuring campfires are completely extinguished before leaving, avoiding tossing burning materials out of vehicles, and ensuring tow chains are tight to prevent sparks from hitting the pavement.

If you’re planning to spend time on Western Washington waterways, winds are expected to remain relatively light. Be sure to wear a lifejacket, though. Puget Sound water temperatures remain only in the 50s. For area lakes, surface temperatures may be around 70 degrees, but just a few feet down, temperatures drop into the 50s. Area river temperatures also remain quite chilly.

Driving

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (SDOT), Labor Day holiday weekend travel charts compiled over years of traffic data, the heaviest travel days eastbound on Stevens Pass will be on Friday and Saturday. Thursday and Sunday will have far lighter traffic volumes. Returning westbound across Stevens Pass, the heaviest travel day is typically Monday. The peak times in both directions range from about 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Going over Snoqualmie Pass on I-90 reflects the same trends throughout the holiday weekend, just more cars on the road. One bright spot on I-90 is that all lanes will be open across the Vantage Bridge, as that road work will be paused during the weekend travel period.

If you are heading south toward Portland or even heading north from Portland, the time period from roughly 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. has by far the heaviest traffic from Thursday through Labor Day in both directions. Driving early in the morning or late in the evening typically offers lower traffic volumes.

There are no travel charts heading north toward Bellingham, but expect similar higher traffic volumes to those heading toward Portland during the holiday weekend. Expect slowdowns between the Arlington and Stanwood exits, with traffic in both directions limited to two lanes, due to the ongoing fish culvert construction.

Bottom line — if you wish to avoid delays and frustration in traffic, plan to travel before or after these peak times.

If you plan to use Washington State Ferries, they say, “People boarding a state ferry by vehicle should prepare for long waits.” Peak travel times on most routes are expected to be westbound from Thursday through Saturday, August 28-30, and eastbound or off-island from Sunday through Tuesday, Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. Customers can also bypass vehicle lines by traveling as a walk-on passenger. Visit the ferry system website for the latest schedules and plan ahead.

Gas Prices

The price of gas remains elevated in Washington. The average price of regular gas is $4.30 a gallon, up from $4.17 last year. The national average is $3.21 per gallon.

East of the Cascades, prices tend to be lower. Some fuel stations in Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Spokane, Ferry, and Stevens counties are selling fuel at or below $4 per gallon.

Air Travel

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is again going to be a busy place through the holiday weekend. The airport is anticipating about 180,000 passengers moving through the airport each day from Thursday to Monday, a 9% increase from last year during the Labor Day Weekend. Authorities ask passengers to arrive two hours ahead of their flight times, and preferably three hours in advance.

The SEA Spot Saver program can help you move through security lines at the airport more quickly. In addition, there is a new security checkpoint at the south end of the lower baggage claim level that is often not as busy.

Snohomish County’s Paine Field is a different story. The Paine Field passenger terminal will be busier than normal, but will have far less congestion than that at SEA. Alaska Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Kenmore Air, and San Juan Airlines have a total of 24 daily flights out of Paine Field, including to many Western U.S. destinations and flights to the San Juan Islands.

Amtrak

Amtrak rail service to and from Western Washington will also be busy, but it has enough capacity. Amtrak said the busiest travel days are Thursday and Friday, and Sunday and Monday for return trips.

Wherever you travel this holiday weekend, plan ahead and do so safely. Enjoy this final weekend of summer!

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

Wind gusts of up to 70 mph pounded the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, and Everett-Paine Field had wind gusts of more than 60 mph. Many other western Washington interior locations recorded wind gusts of more than 50 mph, while along the coast, winds peaked higher than 70 mph. With leaves on trees, branches and trees were more easily blown down onto homes, roads, and more.

More than half a million customers lost power in the midday Saturday storm. It took days for power crews to return service to customers.

Two people lost their lives as a result of fallen trees and large branches. Many arterial roads and neighborhood streets were blocked by downed trees, including Interstate 405 just south of I-5 in Lynnwood and Bothell.

Washington’s one-of-a-kind summer wind storm

No other windstorm has ever occurred like this one during the summer. This type of windstorm was the kind that would occur in the fall or winter season. With leaves on trees acting as sails on a ship, the strong winds more easily toppled or uprooted trees, and tore off tree branches.

The windstorm was well forecast in advance. Yet, being an August weekend, many people were not paying attention to the weather. That Saturday morning had sunshine as the storm approached, tending to give the impression of a nice day ahead. But by midday, the windstorm struck.

Some boaters on waterways, including Puget Sound, were caught unaware with several capsizes. A number of rescues involved both the U.S. Coast Guard and nearby boaters.

This historic wind storm 10 years ago was quite unusual, yet it could happen again. It is always important to be weather aware and, as a result, weather prepared.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

The longest stretch of hot weather this year is coming to an end in western Washington. For many, this news is a huge sense of relief.

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) had three straight days hit 90 degrees or better, including Monday’s 91 degrees. Olympia had four straight days in the 90s, topped off with Sunday’s 95 degrees.

Since 2015, SEA has had an average of eight 90-degree or better days in a year. In the latter half of the 20th century, SEA averaged but three days of 90 degrees or hotter. The most was 13 days in 2022, breaking the record of 12 days established in 2015.

The strong high pressure aloft that played a large role in the recent heat wave is holding on, yet weakening a bit. This adjustment is permitting temperatures to ease down a few degrees, back into the upper 70s and 80s for the rest of the week, while many places near shorelines, such as the North Sound region, will drop into the 70s.

Labor Day weekend forecast

Many are looking forward to the Labor Day holiday weekend for one more summer season getaway. Does it always rain, though, on this holiday weekend?

Going back to 2001, SEA has had 13 Labor Day Weekends without any rain at all, including last year. In fact, last year, SEA had highs of 90 and 88 degrees, respectively, on Sunday and Monday of that holiday weekend. The only truly washout of this holiday weekend so far this century was back in 2009 when a total of about 1.20 inches of rain fell.

The weather for this Labor Day weekend looks to be another dry one, yet not nearly as hot as it was last year. The persistent high pressure aloft over the region is expected to gradually weaken the rest of this week and ease inland over the weekend. Yet, it will maintain relatively dry weather with more seasonable temperatures. Average highs in late August are in the mid-70s.

The only fly in the holiday weekend weather will be a threat of thunderstorms over the Cascades. For those venturing into the mountains, be on the lookout for the possibility of thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings.

High fire danger

Despite the rainfall earlier this month, conditions remain quite dry across the state with moderate to severe drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. SEA is more than 6 inches below average for the year thus far; Olympia is greater than 9 inches behind, and usually, wet Forks is nearly 22 inches below average for the year.

The dry conditions mean the threat of wildfires remains high. There are three primary conditions for wildfires—lack of moisture, heat, and an ignition source. Four out of five wildfires are human-caused.

Heading into the holiday weekend, be particularly careful with any burning materials. Avoid tossing cigarettes out of vehicles. There have been many roadside fires this year thus far. If camping, be sure the campfire is cold before leaving the site. An unattended campfire started the Bolt Creek fire near the Stevens Pass Highway in September 2022.

Start of the school year

Selected school districts start the school year this week, but many begin after Labor Day. The weather outlook moving into September continues to offer above-average temperatures to start the school year. No significant rain is in sight either.

Enjoy the gradually cooler weather and have a safe Labor Day holiday weekend, whether at or away from home.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

The AMS advances atmospheric and related sciences, technologies, applications, and services for the benefit of society as a whole. Founded in 1919, AMS has a membership of approximately 12,000 professionals, students, and weather enthusiasts. The State of the Climate report involved 589 scientists from 58 countries worldwide.

A significant finding was that the average global temperatures, both on land and in the oceans, reached all-time record highs, surpassing the new record set in 2023. The back-to-back record warm years were the first time it’s happened since 2015 and 2016. The report also noted that the last decade (2015-2024) was the warmest on record. These measurements go back to the mid-1800s.

The primary reason behind the record global temperatures was that the three main greenhouse gases — carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide — reached record-high averages. For CO2, the global average level reached 422.8 parts per million, a 52% increase from the pre-industrial level of about 278 parts per million in the late 1800s. The global rise in CO2 emissions has accelerated more sharply since the 1960s.

North America, including the U.S., was the warmest in its 115-year record. Some U.S. findings include the usually hot Las Vegas hitting an all-time record high of 120 degrees on July 7, 2024. Phoenix had 113 consecutive days reaching 100 degrees or warmer, surpassing the former record of 76 days in 1993.

Study reveals summers growing globally by days

In a recent study by researcher Dr. Yupong Guan, it was discovered that from the 1950s to 2011, global summers have increased by 3.4 days per decade, while the other three seasons have become shorter. The annual AMS State of the Climate reports for this century so far reflect the continued warming of the planet, characterized by longer summers and overall warmer temperatures for all four seasons.

The longer, warmer summers have also led to more heat waves and wildfires around the globe. In 2024, Canada suffered its worst drought in its 75-year history, leading to hundreds of wildfires and smoke that spread south into the U.S.

Global average ocean temperatures also reached their warmest level on record in 2024. These warmer ocean temperatures helped fuel tropical cyclones (e.g., hurricanes) around the globe, along with more intense storms. November’s ‘bomb cyclone’ off the Pacific Northwest coast last year was but one example.

Scientists behind the State of the Climate report follow 58 glaciers around the globe. All 58 glaciers lost ice again, the most ice loss ever recorded. One example was the Mendenhall Glacier outside of Juneau, Alaska, which had a glacial outburst of melting ice in 2024, flooding low-lying parts of Alaska’s capital city. The same glacier suffered another glacial outburst last week, again creating flooding conditions.

Global mean sea levels also climbed to their highest ever on record for the thirteenth-straight year, according to the report. Mean sea levels in 2024 were about 4 inches higher than the 1993 average. The expansion of ocean waters due to warmer sea temperatures and melt from glaciers and ice sheets contributed to the higher sea levels.

Warmer global temperatures also impacted the amount of water in the atmosphere. Evaporation from land areas in the Northern Hemisphere reached one of the highest annual values on record last year. The amount of water vapor in the air reached an all-time record high in 2024, creating more humid conditions.

As a result, precipitation was globally high, with 2024 being the third-wettest year on record. Extreme rainfall (heavy amounts of rain) was the wettest on record. Heavier rainfall events led to more flash floods and flooding events around the globe, including the U.S. One key example was the flooding involving heavy rainfall from former Hurricane Helene last September that occurred in North Carolina and other parts of the southern and mid-Appalachian mountain region.

“The State of the Climate report is an annual scientific landmark,” AMS President David J. Stensrud said. “It is a truly global effort, in which hundreds of researchers from universities, government agencies, and more come together to provide a careful, rigorously peer-reviewed report on our planet’s climate. High-quality observations and findings from all over the world are incorporated, underscoring the vital importance of observations to monitor and climate science to understand our environment. The results affirm the reality of our changing climate, with 2024 global temperatures reaching record highs.”

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

What is driving this rather dramatic change in the weather is a North Pacific weather system that is entraining leftover moisture from former Tropical Storm Henriette, which passed well north of Hawaii. This former tropical system will help “juice up” the North Pacific weather system as it moves into the Pacific Northwest late this week.

The wettest day looks to be Friday. Current forecasts predict North Sound lowland rain amounts in the 0.5-1.5 inch range, with the mountains receiving upwards of two or more inches of rain — a nice summer soaker.

So far this year, it has been exceptionally dry. As of mid-week this week, Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA) is more than 6.5 inches of rain behind average. Everett-Paine Field has a rainfall deficit of more than 12.5 inches, Olympia is more than 9 inches below average, and the usually wet Forks on the north coast is well more than 22 inches behind for the year. Nearly all of the state is categorized as being in the moderate to severe drought category, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

With rain comes relief to the region

The rain will bring several benefits. Gardens, yards, and more will soak in nature’s irrigation. The rain will also wash away the smoke from the Mason County wildfires that invaded the region this week. The rainfall should also dampen the Mason County fires and ease local wildfire conditions, at least for a time.

The rain also brings some downsides, though. Despite the brief rainfall a week ago, oil buildup on roads remains. Oil and water do not mix, meaning wet roadways have a greater potential to be slicker than usual. Take it easy on the roads and allow plenty of room with the car ahead of you.

Another downside is the burn scar from the 2022 Bolt Creek wildfire along the Stevens Pass Highway. A sufficient amount of rain in a relatively short period can create mudslides. Crews will be watching this potential situation.

Some are asking, does this wet August weather mean the end of summer? Not yet! After this weather system tracks inland, higher pressure aloft is expected to build over the Pacific Northwest, leading to a drying trend this weekend and a return of some sunshine. By next week, high temperatures are expected to warm back into at least the 70s, accompanied by even more sunshine that will likely persist through at least the end of the month.

So summer weather will not be over. Yet enjoy the short-lived cooler, wet August weather late this week, and if driving, take it easy on the roads.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X

Thanks to clear skies in the coming days, you can see a unique planetary event set to align in the night sky starting August 10, toward the final days of this month. Six planets will all be lined up in the night sky.

Six planets align over Seattle

The planets include Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; the latter two need binoculars or a telescope to be seen. The others will all be visible to the naked eye.

The best time to view this exceptional event is during the early morning hours before sunrise. The six aligned planets will be in the eastern sky prior to sunrise.

This planet parade, as some call it, is rather rare. Yet, this planet positioning will be the second time this year, the first occurring in January.

From Earth’s perspective, the six planets will not be a perfect straight line, yet they will appear close together.

So if you want to see this distinctive planetary orientation, look to the eastern sky before sunrise starting this weekend until close to the end of the month.

The Perseid meteor shower

According to NASA, Earth’s rotation around the sun carries the planet through the Perseids meteor stream each year during the period of about July 17 through August 24. Although the peak period to see the meteor shower occurs from August 11th through the 14th.

Weatherwise, skies should remain clear during nighttime hours into the middle of next week, allowing great viewing of the meteor shower commonly known as the Perseids after sundown. The best time to see the surge of meteors in the night sky is between midnight and dawn.

No special equipment is needed. Just find a wide-open sky and even better, away from city lights. Your eyes may take up to 20 minutes to adapt to the dark. Perseid meteors will start to be seen hitting the planet’s atmosphere in the mid-to-late evening hours, peaking toward dawn.

In a dark sky, you may see up to 100 meteors per hour. Hang in there for at least one hour since the meteors tend to come in bursts interspersed with lulls.

The Perseid meteors are traced to the constellation Perseus, in honor of Perseus the Hero. In ancient Greek star lore, Perseus is the son of the god Zeus and the mortal Danaë. The Perseid shower commemorates the time when Zeus visited Danaë, the mother of Perseus, in a shower of gold. Quite the love story!

There is no threat of the meteors reaching the earth’s surface. The meteors are quite small and burn up about 60 miles above earth’s surface, leaving wonderful streaks of light across the night sky.

With clearing skies this weekend into the middle of next week, the weather will cooperate to view this wonderful night sky double-header.

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on X