A Sudden August Downpour in Seattle
- Yeonu Kim
- Aug 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 5
Last week’s weather in the Seattle area was quite a rollercoaster. From Sunday (8/10) to Tuesday (8/12), it was very hot, reaching high 80s and even 90s. I spent the afternoons trying to stay cool indoors. Suddenly, Thursday and Friday brought unusually heavy rain. I remember the sound of the rain crashing loudly against our home. This made me wonder: why was it raining so heavily in August?
Last week, Seattle had an atmospheric river, a narrow region in the atmosphere that carries a significant amount of moisture. The atmospheric river brought up to an inch of rain to Seattle. Seattle-Tacoma airport had about 0.98 inches of rain across two days (August 14th-15th). This was higher than the airport’s average precipitation for the entire August. On Friday the 15th, it rained 0.76 inches at the airport, which was the most rain in a single day since March 23rd. Some mountainous areas were hit with up to 3-6 inches of rain.
This was an unusual event because this usually happens in winter, not summer. The last time Seattle had an inch or more of rain in the first half of August was a decade ago. This is a vivid example of climate change. As climate change worsens, it is creating more unexpected weather events.
On the bright side, the heavy downpour was beneficial for easing wildfire conditions. It played a crucial role in containing wildfires happening across Washington. However, it also threatened the safety of our people. Atmospheric rivers often cause floods, landslides, and damage to roads and properties. For example, there was a landslide reported on I-5 in the Kent area. To
To be safe, it is important to be cautious, such as when driving on the roads and being careful in low-water crossings.
This rare heavy rain in August was a reminder that climate change is not distant. It is within us, affecting the weather and our safety. While it brought relief from wildfires, it also posed dangers such as landslides and floods. It is important to stay aware and prepared for extreme events like this.
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