Warm weather may break some records, prompts avalanche bulletin this weekend
It’s unseasonably warm.
“Hey Seattle, ‘normal’ temperatures will be out of the picture for the next 7 days,” the National Weather Service Seattle tweeted Friday. “And the Sun won’t set earlier than 8 PM for another 133 days.”
A high of 75 broke the daily Sea-Tac record Thursday, which had been 74 degrees in 1999.
Then it was 39 degrees in Enumclaw at 7 a.m. Friday. Just two hours later it was 68, the agency noted.
Later Friday the Weather Service tweeted: “Sea-Tac Airport officially reached 79° today, the warmest day since September 29, 2020 when it hit 80° for the last time. We’ll make a run at 80 tomorrow!”
The News Tribune reported earlier this week that 80 would tie the daily record for highest temperature Saturday at Sea-Tac and in Olympia, and that a record for most consecutive days at 70 or above in April could be tied if the weather stays warm through Monday
“Certainly some records are possible the next couple days,” National Weather Service meteorologist Gary Schneider said Saturday morning.
Schneider said the warmest days should be Saturday and Sunday, and that things are expected to start to gradually cool down Monday and Tuesday.
A warm stretch like this in April isn’t so unusual, he said.
In 2018 there was a stretch of several days in the mid 70s and low 80s, and in 2016 there were four straight days above 80.
“We’re obviously well above normal,” but that’s normal every now and then, he said.
Asked how the warm weekend will affect the snow pack, he noted the region is at roughly 150 percent of normal. But it will melt some, especially at lower elevations, he said.
There’s an avalanche bulletin from the Northwest Avalanche Center through Monday for the Cascades and Olympics.
“Uniquely dangerous avalanche conditions are expected due to prolonged hot and sunny weather,” the warning, relayed by the Weather Service, said. “Large and destructive wet avalanches could occur.”
The Weather Service also cautioned that water temperatures can still be dangerous this time of year.
“Temperatures through this weekend will be in the 70s to low 80s, but water temperatures are in the upper 40s to low 50s!” they posted on Twitter. “Make sure to use caution on the water and wear a life jacket!”
The dry weather also increases the risk of wildfires, which makes it important to properly dispose of cigarettes and to keep vehicles off dry grass, the agency said.
This story was originally published April 17, 2021 at 12:15 PM.
