Tuesday could be the HOTTEST day of the year so far -- but not for long



SEATTLE -- Tuesday will likely be the hottest day of the year so far, but not for long!

Q13 News Meteorologist Katie Boer says highs will soar to near 80 degrees later this week.

Our dry, warmer weather is all courtesy of an upper ridge of high pressure building over Western Washington. That ridge pushes east as it strengthens  and a surface high over BC increases offshore flow. Both ridges will allow for an abnormally warm couple of days in the 70s through at least Thursday. We'll see a low start arriving from the south later this week bringing a return to more seasonal (cooler, wetter) conditions into the weekend.

Monday afternoon our sunny start to the week is allowing temperatures to climb rapidly today into the upper 60s to low 70 today. We'll climb into the mid 70s Tuesday and reach upper 70s by Wednesday and Thursday.

Tuesday morning will be a little warmer -- but this morning our absent clouds really allowed our temps. to drop overnight. A number of outlying valleys, especially in the South Sound and in Everett woke up to frost this morning. That said it still looks like our colder protected valleys could see temps. in the 30s tomorrow.

Seattle is forecast to reach 75 degrees on Tuesday. The average first date for 75 is May 5th. If we reach 75 tomorrow, it would be 6 consecutive years that we've reached 75 degrees earlier than normal. That's never happened before.

POTENTIAL RECORD HEAT AHEAD:

                    Forecast High:         Normal High:         Record to Beat:             

Monday               69°                              60°                               72°

Tuesday                75°                             60°                               76°

Wednesday        78°                            60°                               77°

Thursday             78°                             61°                               82°

Friday                    68°                              61°                              81°