February Seattle Weather Outlook: Windy Friday, With More Rain To Come

SEATTLE — A pleasant start to February will be short-lived, and forecasters are tracking a blustery bout of rain and wind kicking off Friday morning. The rest of the month could be more of a mixed bag, according to long-range outlooks, with room for stretches of both calmer and more active weather.

The National Weather Service on Thursday said models shifted considerably in favor of strong winds developing Friday, with gusts on track to reach at least 35 mph in Seattle and the potential to surge as high as 50 mph.

The gusty winds will be accompanied by rain lasting into the weekend, increasing the likelihood of downed trees and power outages. Forecasters expect wind activity to peak late Friday morning and afternoon, easing in the evening, but a breeze could linger through Saturday.

Looking ahead, more systems are due next week, which forecasters said could keep things wet and mild for the near future.

So far, forecasters are not expecting anything too lively through mid-February, with just a slight signal for above-average precipitation and odds favoring temperatures around normal. After that, the probabilities tilt in favor of wetter and colder conditions sticking around through late in the month.

The potential for a wet February may be a welcome one after logged its driest January in more than two decades. According to the National Weather Service, just over 3 inches of rain fell in the Emerald City last month, putting it well behind cities like Los Angeles and San Diego for the month.