Seattle weather: Summer heat building, thunderstorms possible Thursday

SEATTLE - A stretch of warm and sunny weather will continue through Wednesday around the Puget Sound area.

Tonight will bring clear skies and comfortable temperatures in the mid 50s.

High pressure is strengthening over the Pacific Northwest and will continue to bring warmer, drier weather through the middle of the week. Temperatures will climb into the 80s across much of the interior on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Heating up in Seattle this week

By Tuesday afternoon, much of the Seattle metro area and locations south of Seattle will experience a moderate heat risk, meaning the heat could become impactful for those spending extended time outdoors or anyone without access to air conditioning. If you have outdoor plans, remember to stay hydrated, wear lightweight clothing, and check on neighbors or family members who are more vulnerable to the heat.

Thursday could bring some active weather to Western Washington. A low pressure system offshore may swing close enough to Western Washington to bring a chance of showers and even a few thunderstorms. While not all of our weather models agree, several forecast models continue to suggest at least the possibility of some unstable weather. If thunderstorms do develop, they could occur at almost any time of day, so it's something we'll be watching closely over the next couple of days.

Friday and especially into the weekend, high pressure is expected to rebuild over the Pacific Northwest. That means a return to dry weather and temperatures back into the 80s. 

Wildfire outlook in Eastern WA

Warm temperatures, low humidity, and drying vegetation will continue to increase wildfire danger across Central and Eastern Washington over the next several days. While Western Washington remains relatively green, fuels east of the Cascades continue to dry out. The potential for isolated lightning on Thursday will be something to watch. After Thursday's system moves through, a return to hot and dry weather heading into the weekend is expected to increase fire danger once again.

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