Get ready for summer: Highs in the 80s, clear skies expected this weekend

Seattle could get its warmest days of the year so far this upcoming weekend, with temperatures forecast in the 80s.

The warm-up follows a rainy several months that gave Seattle its fourth-coldest spring in the last 50 years, according to the National Weather Service. 

A high-pressure system will settle over the city this weekend, causing air to sink and the region to heat up, said Dustin Guy, a weather service meteorologist in Seattle.

That makes it hard for clouds to form, clearing Seattle’s skies for a little summer sun. 

“In the short term, this is the first substantial warm-up we’ve had in more than nine months,” Guy said.

On average, Seattle gets its first 80-degree day around May 20, Guy said.

By that standard, Seattle is overdue for clear skies and warmer temperatures. But Guy said it’s not unusual for warmer weather to arrive so late in the year. 

Seattle experienced a similar trend between 2010 and 2012. And in 2012, temperatures in the 80s didn’t arrive until July, Guy said.

The warmer weather will arrive after temperatures hover in the mid-60s and lower 70s over the next few days. 

Forecasters expect mostly clear skies and highs in the low 70s on Tuesday. Wednesday will bring a slight chance of rain and temperatures in the mid-60s. Skies will clear Thursday, and temperatures will remain in the mid-60s. 

On Friday, Seattle is predicted to get back into the 70s with clear skies before temperatures get into the 80s on Saturday and Sunday.