October 21, 2020

Forecast: October 21st, 2020

By Calen Randall

Hey Huskies,

Many around the Puget Sound awoke to dark skies and rain, but those around the UW campus were treated to a pretty mix of blue sky and clouds this morning.

KA-BOOM! The serene skies did not last long as a strong convergence zone thunderstorm has arrived at campus! Early this morning, not one, but two convergence zones developed and brought widespread showers from Newcastle to Marysville. There are reports of hail from this latest thunderstorm!

As some of the leftover morning showers shift east, they will deliver up to a couple inches of snow to the central Cascades, with snow levels approaching 3000 feet this afternoon. I am sure many skiers are getting the itch to break their skies out soon!

While convergence zone storms are exciting, the big story of the week is the chilly temps en route to western Washington. In fact, Seattle could see weekend temperatures chillier than Boston, Toronto, and other eastern North American cities. Anticipate highs in the mid 50s this afternoon, but as skies clear overnight, get ready for the first taste of winter. Overnight temperatures will drop into the low 40s or even upper 30s.

Say goodbye to warm temperatures tomorrow, as after Thursday afternoon, temperatures likely will not reach 50 degrees until next Monday. The forecast gets interesting starting on Friday. A trough will swoop in from British Columbia bringing up to a half inch of rain to the Puget Sound and more snow to the Cascades. Snow levels are expected to drop to 2000’, with around a half foot of snow at pass levels forecast and more snow expected at higher elevations. If you are traveling to eastern Washington or heading into the Cascades this Friday, keep an eye on the forecast!

Back in Seattle, afternoon temperatures in the mid 40s are anticipated through the weekend, nothing unbearable, but the overnight temperatures will be quite chilly. On Friday night, temperatures will cool to the upper 30s, while on Saturday and Sunday, temperatures are forecast to plunge below freezing! The cold overnight temperatures will certainly bring frost, so you will want to cover your plants if you can. If you have hummingbird feeders outside, it is a good idea to bring the feeder in overnight so you do not wake up with a frozen feeder and peeved hummingbirds! As always, keep an eye out for black ice on those chilly October mornings.

Today marks the three week mark of the quarter! Enjoy the cold weather and goodluck on those upcoming midterms!

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

TONIGHT’S FORECAST	CURRENT THUNDERSTORM!