Thursday High Temperatures and Today's Situation

The high temperatures yesterday ranged from near 90F in favored areas (away from marine influence, at the bottom of west-facing slopes) to fifties near the water.   Here is a map of the highs on Thursday. Amazing contrasts.  Mid to upper 80s southwest of the Olympics and similar temperatures on the western slopes of the Cascades east of Seattle.  But 58F at the buoy positioned in the eastern side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. 90F north of Portland.

In the Seattle area, there were 60s near the water but low 80s over northeast Seattle away from the water.  Mid 80s over the eastern suburbs.

What about today?  An interesting situation.

The temperatures aloft, say at 5000 ft, are nearly identical to those of yesterday.  But the offshore (easterly) flow is weaker.  The north-south pressure difference is also weaker, so the cooling northerly flow that moderated Seattle yesterday will decline today. The figure below shows the temperatures and winds above Sea Tac for the past 24h.  At 850 hPa (about 5000 ft) the temperature line (red) is almost horizontal.  No change.  But the strong low-level easterlies are gone.

So in this situation, one might expect that the eastern suburbs of Seattle will cool a bit (say to around 80F), while Seattle and the lower elevations will be similar or cool slightly.

Another summer-like day.  Enjoy.