Quick Weather Hiccup in Western Washington: What to Expect

A Short, Stormy Surprise on Thursday

Imagine the weather decided to play a quick prank on Western Washington this Thursday. There was a brief "hiccup" in the weather — that means a short, unexpected change — with scattered rain and lightning in some areas. But don’t worry, it won’t stick around for long! It will soon clear out and make the temperatures cool down a bit.

What Happened in the Morning

Here’s a simple timeline of the stormy morning:

1. At 9:45 a.m., some flights leaving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport were delayed by an average of 45 minutes (maybe even longer), according to the FAA (the folks who watch over airplanes in the U.S.).
2. At 10 a.m., a thunderstorm rolled through downtown Seattle. It brought crashes, loud booms, and bright flashes of lightning.
3. A local person named Caroline Anne shared a photo from lower Queen Anne. She wrote: "YIKES! Mother Nature woke me up instead of my alarm! Taken this morning in lower Queen Anne. The car alarms went off for this one." She posted it on the KOMO #SoNorthwest Photography page.

Important: If you were flying out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport Thursday morning, expect possible delays of 45+ minutes because of the storm.

Where the Rain Fell Hardest

The heaviest rain happened in these spots through the early afternoon:

• The Olympic Peninsula
• Southwest Washington
• The Ocean Beaches

After Lunch: The Rain Moves and Breaks Up

After the lunch hour, the rain started to do two things:

• Move north
• Break into smaller pieces (not one big storm anymore)

Here is what to expect:

• A quick extra shower might pop up around Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Kirkland.
• More rain in the afternoon focused on:
  • Whidbey Island
  • The San Juan Islands
  • Port Angeles
  • Forks
• Even Bellingham and Mount Vernon could see extra showers until early evening.
• Meanwhile, Seattle, the Cascade Mountains, and Olympia got dry.

Overnight and Into Friday

Almost done! Here is the nighttime plan:

• A layer of broken clouds (like a patchy blanket of clouds) stayed overnight.
• A shower might appear near Stevens Pass or Okanogan County.
• East of Omak, a lonely lightning bolt could come back anytime through Friday morning.

The Weekend and Next Week Look Nicer

A weather maker (that’s just a storm system) and an upper low (a swirl of cool air high up) moved north over BC (British Columbia). This brought:

• Morning clouds and afternoon sun for a couple of days.
• A nice weekend!

Remember that big heat ridge (like a giant warm bubble) over the rest of the country? It will slide a little farther west. That means we could warm up near 90°F early next week.

Important: I’m hoping it’s another short-lived heat wave (a quick hot spell), but that depends on whether more lows (cool air swirls) come in from the Pacific and Canada to push the heat away from western Washington.

Summary

Thursday brought a quick, stormy hiccup with rain and lightning in Western Washington, causing airport delays and loud thunder in Seattle. The heaviest rain hit the coast and southwest areas, then moved north and broke up after lunch. Overnight brought patchy clouds and a few showers east of Omak. By the weekend, nicer weather returns with morning clouds and afternoon sun, but early next week may warm near 90°F if the heat ridge pushes west.

FAQ

Q1: Why were flights delayed at Seattle-Tacoma Airport?
Because at 9:45 a.m. on Thursday, the storm caused the FAA to report average delays of 45 minutes or more for some departures.

Q2: Where did the thunderstorm hit at 10 a.m.?
It rolled through downtown Seattle with loud booms and lightning flashes.

Q3: Will it be hot next week?
Maybe! A heat ridge may push west and warm us near 90°F early next week, but cool lows from the Pacific or Canada could keep it short.

Q4: What is an "upper low"?
It’s a swirl of cool air high up in the sky that helps move storms around.

Q5: Is the weekend going to be rainy?
No, it should be nice with morning clouds and afternoon sun after the Thursday hiccup clears out.