A ridge of high pressure and weak offshore winds pushed afternoon temperatures in Western Washington near 90 degrees on Tuesday, making it the warmest day of the year so far.
The National Weather Service reported a thermodynamic "hairdryer effect" that sent temperatures into the mid-80s around the Puget Sound basin, with the Cascade foothills and South Puget Sound approaching 90 degrees.
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Seattle reached 84 degrees, falling 10 degrees short of the daily record of 94 degrees set in 1970.
Rapid Temperature Swings Expected
National Weather Service meteorologist Dana Felton described the pattern as a roller coaster, with warm conditions followed by cool and showery weather.
"Really warm then cool and showery — kind of what we’ve been doing, it seems, the last couple of weeks," Felton said.
The heat will be short-lived as marine air shifts eastward, replacing the high-pressure system.
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On Wednesday, onshore flow will bring cooler air, clouds, and a slight chance of showers, with temperatures dropping into the 60s and low 70s.
Clouds are expected to linger through Monday.
An upper-level trough will bring rain showers starting Friday afternoon, and a potential upper-level low on Saturday could trigger widespread rain and isolated thunderstorms.
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Central and Eastern Washington are projected to remain warmer than average into next week.
