September 29, 2020

Forecast: September 29th, 2020

By Calen Randall

Hey Huskies,

Like a photographer experimenting with photo effects, the atmosphere has swiped through a range of filters this September. From the dazzling evening “vibrant sunsets”, to the old newspaper colored “smoky skies”, to the familiar stormy grey “nimbostratus”, the sky has changed a lot. However, as the month finishes, the sky has switched to a gorgeous “cloudless blue sky”. The Space Needle and downtown stands out above Capitol Hill and the rugged Olympic Mountains peak over the horizon on the right side of today’s view from the Atmospheric Sciences Building. Hopefully you enjoy today’s glorious atmospheric filter!

If you woke up to foggy skies this morning, do not despair. Thick fog covers the foothills and some inland valleys around the Puget Sound, but it should clear out by the afternoon. Get ready for more cool foggy mornings, Seattle. October is the foggiest month for the Puget Sound.

Temperatures in Seattle are expected to stretch into the upper 70s this afternoon, likely the warmest temperatures we will see this week, but the warmth is not done after today. High temperatures above 70 are forecast through the weekend. Overnight temperatures will gradually cool through the week, with lows in the mid 50s likely. Calm winds are forecast as our ridge of high pressure persists. Similar warm temperatures are forecast in eastern Washington with temperatures running a few degrees warmer in the afternoons and up to ten degrees cooler overnight in areas like Spokane and Ellensburg.

Unfortunately the atmosphere is not done swiping through filters just yet. Winds from the south are blowing wildfire smoke from California towards the Pacific Northwest. Do not panic! The smoke should be high up in the atmosphere by the time it arrives, and is not expected to alter the air quality like earlier this month. With cloudless skies and possibility of upper level smoke, September might conclude with the atmospheric filter of smoky “vibrant sunsets”.

Enjoy the final day of summer break!

Reach forecaster Calen Randall at theuwdawgcast@uw.edu. Twitter: @Wx19Calen.

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