It’s a puny late-summer cold front, but it’s garnering plenty of attention.
Because it could prevent the current Seattle dry streak from becoming our longest on record.
Late next weekend—after we’ve feasted on sunny skies and 80-degree temperatures—the front is expected to drop toward us from the Gulf of Alaska. As it treks south it will weaken, wringing out most of its rain along the British Columbia coast. By the time the front reaches Puget Sound, there won’t be much moisture left—but there should be just enough for some light rain in Seattle. In other words, if the forecast holds, our dry spell is toast.
Today’s weather models bring this rain into Western Washington around noontime next Monday, meaning that our streak of consecutive rainless days would end at 49. This, of course, would be two days less than the all-time record of 51—close, but no cigar.
Importantly, next Monday is still a week away, making its forecasted soggy conditions anything but certain. Weather models of late have often painted a rainy picture for the days ahead, only to dry things out considerably as time gets closer. (This was the case recently, when models predicted rain in Seattle the final week of August. We all know how that turned out.)
Regardless of what happens Monday, this coming Thursday will mark the 46th consecutive rain-free day in Seattle, placing the 2012 streak second on the list of longest dry spells at Sea-Tac.
In other words, we’re assured a silver medal. Gold is up in the air.
