Weather
Wet, But Mild January Forecast For The Seattle Area
January weather looks wetter and warmer, but Washington should escape the brunt of stronger systems moving into Oregon and California.
![Forecasters do not see significant rainfall developing in the near future, but the weather looks to stay wet for the foreseeable future.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/getty/23562256/20230104/071314/styles/patch_image/public/gettyimages-1451856520___04191216540.jpg)
SEATTLE — The National Weather Service expects "generally wet and mild conditions" during January, but there may still be periods of active weather, depending on the track of upcoming storm systems.
While Washington will avoid the stronger impacts of storms hammering California and Oregon, forecasters will be monitoring wind and coastal flooding concerns Thursday, with a potential for high surf and 20-foot waves developing along the Pacific coast through Friday morning.
Some spectacular imagery from NOAA's new GOES West (GOES 18) satellite showing the gargantuan low off the West Coast. #WAwx pic.twitter.com/11504J1QPT
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) January 4, 2023
Peak wind gusts in Seattle are forecast between 25 and 30 mph, and higher along the coast and foothills, including around North Bend and Enumclaw.
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While significant precipitation is not in the forecast, things look to stay wet for the foreseeable future, with rain likely every day through next week.
"The main theme through the majority of next week will be troughing offshore for additional rain and wind potential," NWS Seattle wrote Wednesday. "There is some uncertainty into the timing of fronts during this period, however, ensembles generally suggest the active weather pattern continuing for the Pacific Northwest. Initially, a front will move through on Sunday for rain and increasing wind, with another round [of] rain and breezy winds late Monday into Tuesday, and then again mid-week."
Find out what's happening in Seattlewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Looking to the rest of the month, climate outlooks favor warmer and wetter-than-average conditions through January.
The National Weather Service said the next strong king tide cycle, which recently lent to damaging floods, will arrive Jan. 18 - Jan. 26, and its potential impact will depend on the stretch of any corresponding storm systems.
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