August thunderstorms? Lightning in the forecast for western Washington this weekend
Summer storms might be brewing this weekend across western Washington, including in Pierce County, forecasters say.
“With this, we’re expecting the potential of gusty winds, localized heavy rainfall, and even lightning!” the National Weather Service Seattle posted on their X account Thursday.
A map the NWS posted showed that Tacoma and Eatonville both have a 26% chance of seeing thunderstorms from 11 a.m. on Saturday to 11 a.m. on Sunday.
NWS meteorologist Kayla Mazurkiewicz told The News Tribune Friday that forecasters expect to see thunderstorms move from south to north starting around 5 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. on Sunday. They predict the storm will diminish Sunday afternoon, but there may be some lingering showers, she said. Tacoma could see a quarter to a half inch of rain, the NWS website said.
Asked if this is unusual for mid-August, Mazurkiewicz said thunderstorms aren’t out of the ordinary in the Cascades and mountain areas. This summer storm extends into lowland areas as well.
“It’s definitely more widespread than we usually see,” Mazurkiewicz said.
As for temperatures, Mazurkiewicz said Saturday will be in the upper 70s and maybe lower 80s, and Sunday will be in the mid 70s.
The detailed forecast for Tacoma predicts a 20% chance of rain after 11 a.m. and a 5-10 mph north wind on Saturday. Saturday night is when the thunderstorms and showers could hit, with chance of precipitation at 90%, the weather service website said Friday.
Some parts of the state along the west slopes of the Cascades are under a flash flood watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning due to heavy rainfall expected in areas recently burned by wildfires, the National Weather Service announced Friday morning. The watch includes Lyman, Morton, Darrington, Hamilton, and Concrete.
Updates will be available at weather.gov/sew.
This story was originally published August 16, 2024 at 12:58 PM.
