581 FXUS66 KSEW 100936 AFDSEWArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 236 AM PDT Wed Sep 10 2025
.SYNOPSIS...An upper low south of the area will continue to weaken and shift eastward. This will spread moisture into the region, with showers and isolated thunderstorms developing near the Cascades and moving into the region. Weak high pressure Thursday and Friday will bring some drier conditions, but another disturbance brings a return of rain to the region late in the weekend.
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.SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...An upper level low continues to spin over the Pac NW today. Showers are mostly focused over Oregon but we will see isolated activity and a few possible thunderstorms over the Cascades, near the crest. Down in the lowlands, stratus clouds will increase in coverage but we should see sunbreaks this afternoon. Expect highs in the 70s with 60s along the coast.
The upper low slowly shifts east on Thursday but still remains over the region. Shower coverage is again limited to the Cascades with thunderstorm chances higher east of the crest. Surface low pressure will shift inland for a stronger onshore push Thursday night.
Friday is looking dry with high pressure on the backside of the low. Temperatures will be a little cooler, though, with thicker stratus - mid 60s to around 70. 33
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...The next incoming Pacific frontal system will stall offshore on Saturday, leading to one more dry day. Showers will then increase in coverage on Sunday as an upper level trough cuts through. Showers will linger into Monday as the low departs. High pressure builds on Tuesday for a slight uptick in temperatures. 33
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.AVIATION...Light northeasterly flow aloft as an upper level low moves across the western U.S. IFR to LIFR marine stratus will continue to advance westward this morning. A 4-5000 ft deck has also developed over the Cascades this morning. Stratus is on track to reach OLM, PWT, and near BLI by around 12Z, with stratus filling in around the Seattle metro shortly thereafter. Patchy fog is being reported at some terminals. The clouds should reach their greatest extent by around 15Z, before beginning to lift and scatter between 17-19Z. The exception being the coast, where stratus will hover right near the shoreline for most of the day. VFR conditions will prevail through the rest of the day today. The pattern looks to repeat itself for low stratus again Wednesday night into Thursday morning, but with more uncertainty to the extent of stratus across the Seattle metro and northward. Winds are mostly calm this morning, becoming light north/northwesterly, 5 kt or less for most during the day today.
KSEA...VFR conditions early this morning. MVFR to IFR conditions will likely return around 12z-14z Wednesday morning, scattering out around 18z-20z for a return to VFR conditions with scattered clouds Wednesday afternoon. LIFR probabilities for this morning have dropped significantly (down to 10-15% between 14-16Z), so will be a bit more generous for the ceiling heights this morning. Winds remain north-northeasterly 4 to 8 kt this morning, becoming northwesterly after around 18Z through the rest of the day.
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.MARINE...Weak low pressure over the Pacific Northwest will begin to move inland Wednesday with stronger onshore flow behind the system on Thursday. This will allow for a push of westerlies down the Strait of Juan de Fuca Thursday afternoon that may reach Small Craft Advisory strength, especially through the central Strait. High pressure will try to nose into the area Friday. A front will begin to approach the coastal waters Saturday night into Sunday, with models beginning to support a low pressure system forming along the front and moving into the Pacific Northwest on Sunday. There`s still considerable model discrepancies on where exactly this low will go, however, expect an increase in winds and waves that could require additional headlines going into the latter half of the weekend. High pressure looks to redevelop for the beginning of next week.
Seas will generally remain in the 4 to 7 ft range across the area through the rest of the week. Seas will likely rise to the 6 to 8 ft range going into the weekend, though could approach 10 ft on Sunday, depending on the evolution of the pattern.
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.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...None. PZ...None. &&
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NWS SEW Office Area Forecast Discussion