Breezy and cool conditions will subside tonight, making way for a beautiful, warming weekend across the region. A ridge of high pressure is building in, promising dry weather and near-record high temperatures by Saturday before a dramatic shift back to winter-like weather next week.
Check out this warming trend for the weekend in my video forecast
Weekend Warming Trend
Temperatures will jump 5 to 10 degrees on Friday and climb another 5 degrees on Saturday. This warming trend will push Saturday's high temperatures into near-record territory, with valley locations reaching the low 70s.
Sunday and Monday will remain exceptionally warm, running 10 to 15 degrees above normal for late March.
Active Pattern Returns Next Week
The spring-like warmth will come to an abrupt halt late Monday into early Tuesday. A trough of low pressure and an associated cold front will drop down from the British Columbia coast and sweep across the Pacific Northwest. This system will bring breezy to gusty winds and drop temperatures back down to near-normal levels.
Precipitation chances will increase through Monday afternoon, initially starting over higher terrain before spreading area-wide with a 40 to 80 percent chance of showers on Tuesday.
Significant Mountain Snow Expected
The unsettled weather pattern will stick around through the rest of the week. By late next week, another low-pressure system will dig down the coast, bumping precipitation chances to 50 to 90 percent across the area by Thursday afternoon.
With cooler temperatures and lowering snow levels, mountain areas above 5,000 feet can expect to see snow. Significant accumulations are possible for higher elevations. Areas above 6,000 feet have a 60 to 80 percent chance of seeing at least 4 inches of snow over the course of Wednesday and Thursday.
Tonight
Partly cloudy & colder, with a low around 33. Diminishing breeze.
Friday
Mostly sunny with a cold morning breeze then a milder afternoon and a high near 68. Wind SE 6-10 mph.
Friday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Saturday
Mostly sunny with a pleasant afternoon and a high near 73. light wind.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Wind becoming light.
Sunday
Mostly sunny& pleasant, with a high near 72.
Sunday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.
Monday
Mostly cloudy & still mild, with a high near 68.
Monday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.
Tuesday
Partly sunny and cooler with a 50 percent chance of showers, and a high near 62.
Tuesday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Wednesday
Mostly cloudy & seasonable with a 50 percent chance of showers., with a high near 62.
Wednesday Night
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy & cooler, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
