Basking in the sun.
Swimming in the lake.
Working on your tan.
Odds are you were doing one of the above eight years ago, when Seattle set an all-time record for the warmest March day ever, topping out at a spectacular 78 degrees. Now, as a slow-moving storm system continues to drench the Emerald City (we’ve already had over an inch of rainfall today), it seems preposterous to think that March 29th could ever offer anything remotely close to nice weather. Yet such was the case in 2004, when even the low temperature for the day—56 degrees—was warmer than today’s high of 50 degrees. Not to rub it in or anything…
Ok, ok, enough about 2004. It’s 2012, it’s late March, and it’s raining. And cold. Unfortunately, forecast models show more rain and chilly temperatures for the next several days, as the recent weather pattern that’s brought storm after storm to the West Coast remains locked in place. We might catch a brief break in the action late tonight—but more rain (and wind) will return by tomorrow morning. Temperatures will struggle to break 50 degrees.
On Saturday, a strong area of low pressure will make landfall on the central Oregon coast and race northeast, leading to yet another round of rain and wind in the metro area. Because Western Washington will be on the north side of this low, cooler air will be drawn into the region—leading to daytime highs only in the upper 40s. By Sunday, we’ll be lucky to break 45 degrees for a high—making the first day of April some ten degrees below normal. (And no, that’s not an April Fools’ Day joke.)
More rain is likely again for Monday and Tuesday, but temperatures should at least rebound into the lower 50s as warmer air moves in. Beyond that, it looks like we’ll continue to stay wet and on the cool side.
In other words, you won’t be doing any of the above.
