Seattle weather stays warm through the weekend

SEATTLE - Morning clouds were forecast to give way to afternoon sunshine Friday, with highs in the low 80s. 

That same pattern will continue virtually all week, keeping our afternoons warm and mostly dry.

The bigger weather story Friday and Saturday will be the potential for thunderstorms in the mountains. Even though the lowlands are expected to stay dry, storms in the Cascades and Olympics could produce lightning, which could spark new wildfires.

That’s why a Red Flag Warning was in effect Friday for the Cascades and Olympics. With dry conditions already in place, any new fire starts could spread quickly, so this will be an important concern throughout the day.

There's a small chance for lightning in the greater Seattle area on Friday, but there's a much better potential over the mountains. Note: We will have to watch areas that have experienced wildfires in recent years: if heavy rain tracks over these areas, flash flooding can't be ruled out. However, there won't be a lot of rain with the storms today.

We also expected to continue to see wildfire smoke overhead today.

Most of the smoke was predicted to remain at higher levels of the atmosphere, but minor amounts could make it closer to the surface at times. That could lead to air quality ranging from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups; very similar to what we experienced yesterday. If you’re sensitive to smoke, it will be worth keeping an eye on air quality as the day goes on.

Outside the mountain thunderstorm threat and smoke concerns, the forecast stays fairly quiet. 

We’ll continue with morning clouds and afternoon sunshine, with highs generally in the low 80s. And for the rest of the week, we’re not expecting any significant rain in the lowlands.

Take good care,

Meteorologist Abby Acone and the FOX 13 Weather Team

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