Seattle weather: Heavy rain possible this weekend

SEATTLE - Scattered rain remains around Western Washington Thursday evening and it's forecasted to dry out by overnight tonight.

By Friday, the subtropical jetstream will set up pointing right into the Pacific Northwest. This will push in very warm, moist air leading to periods of heavy rain, very mild temperatures and rising snow levels.

If you have outdoor plans, Friday morning will be your best bet to head outside before the rain picks up by later in the afternoon. 

With this Atmospheric River setup, rain is expected to be moderate to heavy at times through much of the weekend.

Snow levels on Friday will start off around 4000' with a slight chance for a few snow showers early in the day.  By the weekend, the warmer air will send the snow levels up near 7000-8000'  This will lead to a potential for flooding as runoff flows into our area rivers.  Conditions and water levels will need to be monitored.  

Rainfall amounts through Tuesday may total 1-5" in spots around Western Washington.

The pattern will remain quite active through at least the middle of next week.  Temperatures are forecast to warm during this time too with near record highs Sunday and Monday.