Rain on the way to Thurston County as winter winds down

The final week of winter is shaping up to be a wet one, with rain likely through Friday, March 20, before the odds of precipitation lessen this weekend in Thurston County. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) Office in Seattle forecast calls for a 100 percent chance of precipitation on Tuesday, March 17, with between one-tenth and one-quarter of an inch possible. The daytime high should be near 55 degrees with a south wind of 6 to 8 miles per hour (mph).

There is also a 100 percent chance of precipitation on Tuesday evening with between one-quarter and one-half inch of an inch possible. The overnight low should be around 49 degrees with a south, southwest wind of 6 mph.

There is a 90 percent chance of precipitation on Wednesday, March 18, with between one-tenth and one-quarter of an inch possible. The daytime high should be near 56 degrees with a south, southwest wind of 8 mph.

The chance of precipitation drops to 70 percent on Wednesday evening with between one-tenth and one-quarter of an inch possible. The overnight low should be around 49 degrees with a south, southwest wind of 6 mph.

The rain is going to come from a shortwave trough (a weather system) that is approaching the Pacific Northwest.

“Rain will spread inland over Washington with chances for snow/mixed precipitation over the Cascades and Northern Rockies,” said the NWS Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, in a short range forecast.

Rain is in the forecast through Friday with a chance of rain and snow over the weekend. Forecasts are subject to change.