The Memorial Weekend Forecast

Since I can't provide the weekend forecast on KUOW today, I thought I would do it here on the blog.

The bottom line. We are in a cool, cloudy pattern, but with no big storms. Relatively cool and lots of clouds, with the best weather expected on Sunday.

OK, lets get into the details. Today we have cool, unstable air over us with lots of showers. Here is the latest radar image--quite a few showers moving through, some with moderate rain (green colors). As the surface warms the air will become more unstable...with more showers. Highs only in the upper 50s. Sorry....you will need a jacket and umbrella today.


The latest infrared satellite below shows a field of offshore showers ready to move in here. You don't need to be much of a meteorologist to know what this means.


Tomorrow an upper level trough will move south of us (see figure), with the jet stream (where the lines are close together) moving into California.

They will get cool, wet weather--very unusual this time of the year. We will be cool, mostly cloudy with a few showers, particularly in the mountains. But less precipitation than today. The lowland will only get to perhaps 60F. More showers in the Washington Cascades and to the south from Portland, south. Here is the probability of precipitation from probcast for Saturday--you get the message (yellows and red are high probabilities)

On Sunday a WEAK ridge will move over the area...and I mean a weak one (see upper level map below). Precipitation should fade further, with the western Washington lowlands being dry, partially sunny conditions dominating near sea level, and a few light sprinkles in the mountains.
The lowlands could warm into the lower to mid 60s over the western lowlands and the passes might climb into the 50s. The jet stream is heading into SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, with precipitation being widespread over the golden state.


Monday will be a day of deterioration as a new trough moves in--clouds and increasing chances of rain later in the day. The first part may be ok.

So my advice....want some outdoor fun or want to enjoy Folklife? Do it on Sunday if you want the best conditions.

KUOW Petition

If you would like me back on KUOW, please sign the following petition that will be delivered to KUOW (click here). I am hoping that KUOW Public Radio folks will consider the requests of their listeners to bring the weather segment back.

Recent articles the last few days on this controversy:

PI writer Joel Connelly
Geek Wire had a story.

Your Picture Can Be on the 2012 Washington Weather Calendar!

KCPQ TV and the Student Chapter of the American Meteorological Society are working on a Washington Weather Calendar and they need good weather pictures...maybe yours! Local photographers can submit photos NOW for possible inclusion on this calendar. Go to the Q13 FOX website where you will find the place to submit your photo. It must be of high quality and high resolution, and can be a weather/nature/landscape photo of anywhere in Washington State.

The 2012 Weather Calendar will also contain lots of weather and climate information for Washington State, as well as short weather and climate facts that the students are writing and compiling. The Student Chapter of the AMS will receive proceeds from calendar sales to fund their projects and research and/or a partial scholarship to the U.W. Atmospheric Sciences Department. KCPQ will not get any of the proceeds. The calendar will cost $13.99 and will be available in the fall.

Questions: Contact M.J. McDermott at Q13 FOX. Email: mj@q13fox.com