June 13, 2024

Stormy Father’s Day Weekend Ahead

By Kyra Schlezinger and Joseph Renalds

Happy Thursday Huskies!

We hope you are enjoying the first full week of summer break. The weather has been very nice the last few days with a few clouds around and temperatures right around average near 70 degrees in the afternoons. Taking a look outside right now we can see some high clouds moving over the region and temperatures again getting into the upper 60s.

We will be seeing a pattern change heading into this weekend. A trough of low pressure will move over the Pacific Northwest bringing with it chillier temperatures and a chance for thunderstorms. Saturday is looking to have the best chance to hear a clap of thunder since this will be when the atmosphere is most unstable. The Storm Prediction Center has even included us in their Day 3 Convective Outlook.

Cold air aloft and strong daytime surface heating will destabilize the atmosphere and allow for some convective showers to develop. 

One way that this instability is measured is through CAPE (Convective Available Potential Energy). We normally do not see any CAPE values so even getting between 250 and 300 J/kg, as seen in the graphic below, is helpful in getting thunderstorms to form.

While not everyone will see a thunderstorm or rain shower, it could be quite heavy where one does form which could result in ponding on roadways and stronger wind gusts. Remember that if a thunderstorm is near you, go inside until it has passed.

After the excitement on Saturday, things mellow out and stay cool for the short term. A lingering shower is possible for Father’s Day on Sunday, but otherwise skies will stay mostly cloudy with a high in the low 60s. Monday looks pretty similar to Sunday with another slight chance for showers and a high in the low-to-mid 60s. After that, temperatures start to climb back up, reaching about average by Wednesday. By this time next week, temperatures will be above normal, potentially reaching the upper 70s next Thursday and Friday. It might be a good idea to save those Father’s Day barbeques for next weekend.

Don’t let the cold and rain get you down, Huskies, there’s still a lot of break left. As of today, there are 104 days of summer vacation. Maybe take some this weekend to find a good way to spend it! If building a rocket or fighting a mummy aren’t your cup of tea, there are a lot of great summertime activities across western Washington to put on your bucket list including hiking, camping, and exploring Seattle.