Seattle nears driest October on record as weekend rain approaches
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Seattle has recorded just 0.08 inches of rain through three weeks of October, near the 1987 record low.
A weekend cold front could ease the drought, but models disagree on rainfall amounts.
Background
Seattle's rainy season began Oct. 1, but the city has stayed far drier than normal — receiving less rain this month than Las Vegas, San Diego and Phoenix. The driest October on record was 1895 with 0.02 inches downtown, and the second-driest was 1987 with 0.31 inches at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Forecasters are watching whether a weekend system delivers enough rain to keep this October out of the record books.
How it unfolded
- Oct 19, 2026High clouds sit over Western Washington as an upper-level low drifts south offshore; highs reach the low 60s in the Central and South Sound, with patchy fog overnight.
- Oct 20, 2026Fog and low clouds burn off to blue skies and mid-60s highs, a few degrees above average, according to NWS meteorologist Steve Reedy. Forecasts stay dry and 'uneventful' for several days.
- Oct 21, 2026Seattle is stuck at 0.08 inches of rain through the first three weeks of October, still technically on pace for the driest October on record.
- Oct 22, 2026A weather system brings extra clouds and cooler temperatures with overnight lows in the 40s; high pressure briefly rebuilds Friday. Rain chances rise late Saturday through Monday as low pressure slides south along the British Columbia coast.
- Oct 24, 2026Saturday turns mostly cloudy and cooler with highs in the mid to upper 50s; a cold front arrives in the evening with overnight gusts of 20–35 mph and rainfall of around .30 inches to over an inch near the coast.
Who’s saying what
- Caution
- FOX 13 Seattle forecasters say models disagree on the timing and strength of the weekend system — some show a stronger front with rain and gusty coastal winds, others a considerably weaker one.
- Analysts
- KIRO Newsradio meteorologist Ted Buehner says one significant system is arriving this weekend and its rainfall could push October's total beyond the 0.31 inches recorded in 1987.
- Expert
- NWS meteorologist Steve Reedy said a weak frontal system looked likely to fall apart, keeping weather dry with Thursday's only change a drop to the high 50s.
Still unverified
FOX 13 Seattle forecasters say the potential for gusty winds this weekend is still uncertain and model predictions on weekend rainfall amounts remain uncertain; it also remains to be seen whether the system will keep October out of the city's top five driest Octobers on record.