Temperatures are falling around the Puget Sound area through the rest of the month, said Kirby Cook, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle. Temperatures will not reach the highs seen Friday for at least another week, he said.

This year already has seen cooler-than-normal temperatures, with some days more than seven degrees less than the average. The second half of July has had temperatures drastically lower than previous years, Cook said.

Kevin Reese is well aware of the trend from his vantage point as a cashier at the Fircrest Swimming Pool. So far this season the pool has seen 6,000 visitors, far fewer than last year’s 9,000.

But the kids who do make it to the water don’t seem to have a problem with it.

“They don’t complain about the weather,” Reese said. “Our pool is really warm.”

The area is making the transition out of a La Niña period, with lower-than-normal ocean temperatures lingering from the cold spring, Cook explained.

Temperatures Monday should rise during a break from cool fronts off the ocean. But temperatures will fall again Tuesday as another system moves in, and will stay low through the week.

That means those who plan to hit the beaches or pools may have to reschedule. Unless you enjoy clouds and rain following you to the water.

“It doesn’t look like we’re going to break the trend of cooler-than-normal temperatures,” Cook said.

Curtis Baxter, manager of Katie Downs Tavern & Eatery on Tacoma’s Ruston Way, said summer started a little slower this year, but warm temperatures in early July kept the waterfront patio full.

Cooler temperatures in recent days have meant an empty patio, and the cold expected in the coming days means “bad news for us,” Baxter said.

“A lot of people don’t like to dine out when there is bad weather,” he said.

Patrons likely will have to deal with cooler temperatures for a while. The Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center is projecting temperatures will be cooler on average during the rest of the summer and into the fall, compared with previous years, Cook said.

Brian Everstine: 253-597-8374

COOL JULY

Average highs and lows for several days in the second half of July at McChord Air Force Base, including predictions for the rest of the month, are much lower than averages.

DateActual highActual lowAverage highAverage low

*July 3176507756

*July 3072527756

*July 2974497756

*July 2874547656

*July 2767547656

*July 2667527656

July 2578497656

July 2475427656

July 2364467656

July 2265507656

July 2174547656

July 2080477656

July 1973537656

July 1863507656

July 1772517656

July 1673517655

July 1586517655

July 1481537555

July 1387517555

July 1285477555

July 1179427555

July 1073537555

July 982537555

July 884477455

July 777467455

July 669557454

July 571587454

July 471607454

July 375557354

July 281527354

July 178537354

* Forecast temperatures