March 13, 2023

Finals Week Forecast

Last updated 1:00 PM, Monday, March 13th, 2023

By Joseph Renalds and Amelia Gordon

Happy Monday Huskies!

Well the week that we have all been both looking forward to and dreading has arrived.

As you have likely seen so far, we have started out this finals week with some decently heavy rain. Here is a map of the rain that has fallen over Western Washington in the last 24 hours. SeaTac Airport has received around 0.64 inches while totals are somewhat higher along the Kitsap Peninsula, south side of the Olympic Mountains, and the foothills of the North Cascades.

Accessed here: NWS Weather & Hazards (noaa.gov)

We will continue to see rain showers around the area this afternoon and some somewhat breezy conditions from the southwest later tonight but this should not be too impactful. Lows should be in the upper 30s.

Looking into Tuesday, we should get a chance to enjoy some partly sunny skies and a break in the rain. Cold showers will move in again overnight into Wednesday morning before we transition to a more spring-like pattern for at least a few days. Beginning on Wednesday, an upper level ridge begins to build over the Pacific Northwest. This will divert storm systems away from us and give us the chance to enjoy some sunny days on Thursday and Friday. There is even a chance that we could hit 60 degrees for the first time since October 20, 2022.  Here is a look at the upper level pattern that will bring us our nicer weather.

For those traveling later this week, Thursday and Friday are looking to be the most favorable for driving conditions around WA, with these days having the best chance for sun and lowest chance of rain. For those traveling sooner, there is a Winter Weather Advisory in the Cascades through 11pm tonight. Reduced speed and extra caution is recommended while traveling through the passes this evening. For the Northern Cascades, there is a Winter Storm Warning until the same time, with heavier snow expected. If you must travel, use caution. The most up-to-date information for Snoqualmie Pass (I90) can be accessed here.

Taking a peek at next weekend, we’ll begin to cool back off with the arrival of another front. However, the exact timing of its entrance is still iffy. Both the ECMWF and ICON models have the ridge of pleasant weather extending almost until Monday, which could keep most of the rain at bay for the weekend. We’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Good luck on the rest of your finals Huskies, and have a great spring break!

 

Reach forecasters Joseph Renalds and Amelia Gordon at theuwdawgcast@uw.edu or on Twitter @TheUWDawgcast.