Tacoma was sizzling hot last year. Forecasters say below-normal temps will close out July

The sun is shining, the mountain is (nearly) out, and you might have noticed that unlike late July last year, Tacoma doesn’t feel broiling hot. Forecasters say slightly below-normal temperatures will close out the month.

At this time last year, the Puget Sound region was getting ready for a heatwave, and temperatures broke records, hitting 91 degrees near old city hall on Pacific Avenue, and 97 degrees east of Interstate 5.

The closest Tacoma is predicted to come to that scorching heat is a summery 80 degrees on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. There’s also rain in the forecast, with a 50 percent chance of precipitation Monday. Forecasters say a front offshore will move into Western Washington over the course of the day, and rain is expected over the entire region by late afternoon or early evening.

Temperatures should stay below 80 degrees the rest of the week. Forecasters say the high on Tuesday will be near 73 degrees. The weather will continue to warm through Friday, with most days’ high temperature hovering around 76 degrees, and lows around 54.

Through the end of July, the NWS says the Pacific Northwest has a 33-40 percent chance of below-normal temperatures, and precipitation is expected to be near normal levels.

This story was originally published July 22, 2023 at 11:02 AM.

Peter Talbot

The News Tribune

Peter Talbot is a criminal justice reporter for The News Tribune. He started with the newspaper in 2021. Before that, he earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University. In college, he worked as an intern at NPR in Washington, D.C. He also interned for the Oregonian and the Tampa Bay Times. Support my work with a digital subscription