{"id":503801,"date":"2026-10-22T05:18:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T05:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/503801\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T05:18:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T05:18:10","slug":"seattle-has-less-rain-than-las-vegas-and-los-angeles-this-october","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/503801\/","title":{"rendered":"Seattle has less rain than Las Vegas and Los Angeles this October"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re going to lose an October rain battle to\u2026 Las Vegas?<\/p>\n

Seriously?<\/p>\n

Despite being massive favorites \u2014 Seattle<\/a> averages about 10 times more rainfall in October than Vegas \u2014 the underdog is leading by plenty going into the 4th quarter in what is looking like a significant upset.<\/p>\n

Seattle\u2019s rainy season began Oct. 1, yet remains stuck at 0.08 inches of rain through the first three weeks of the month. It\u2019s still technically on pace to be the driest October on record (currently 0.31\u201d set in 1987), though we still have several days left to avoid that dubious distinction.<\/p>\n

But Las Vegas is already up to 1.19 inches, with more likely on the way this week as another storm system carves through the Desert Southwest.<\/p>\n

Only once before has Vegas out-rained Seattle in October \u2014 in 1972. And at least that was close (1.12\u201d vs. 0.72\u201d).<\/p>\n

And that might not be Seattle\u2019s only unexpected L in the October rain column. Los Angeles was up to 0.62\u201d by Wednesday evening with more rain falling. San Diego and Palm Springs were already over an inch. Phoenix was not only ahead of Seattle too at 0.42\u201d but was under a rare Severe Thunderstorm Watch Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n

(Even rarer? Parts of Northern Arizona had a Tornado Watch<\/a> Wednesday afternoon. For areas like Flagstaff, it was their first Tornado Watch in 16 years. For Kingman, it was their first EVER Tornado Watch.)<\/p>\n

Looks like Arizona is soon to get its first Tornado Watch in 16 years :O https:\/\/t.co\/JUXjS78QZx<\/p>\n

\u2014 Scott Sistek (@ScottSeattleWx) October 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

SUN FANS: \u201cIT\u2019S ABOUT TIME!\u201d<\/p>\n

Those who like the sun probably have no such problem with losing this battle. Indeed, this October has featured way more sunshine than usual. Through October 20th, this is the 3rd sunniest October since 2004 (as far back as I can get daily cloud data).<\/p>\n

Through Tuesday, Seattle\u2019s October has averaged 58.5% cloud cover during the day. The sunniest October so far was\u2026 last year at 55.2% \u2014 both sunnier than this past June. In fact, there were 5 Augusts and 2 Julys cloudier than this month so far in Seattle since 2004.<\/p>\n

There has also not been a day this October rated as full 100% overcast \u2014 that has not happened in at least the last 22 years \u2014 but I suspect with 10 days left in the month one of them might hit it.<\/p>\n

Temperature-wise, we\u2019re \u201conly\u201d about +1.5 degrees above average \u2014 only two days in the 50s so far (and of course, last Friday\u2019s 77 degree day) but spoiler alert, 50s are about to make a comeback.<\/p>\n

RAIN FANS: \u201cIS THIS WHERE WE GET TO BLAME EL NINO?\u201d<\/p>\n

Actually\u2026 this probably is the start of El Ni\u00f1o starting to get its fingerprints on our weather.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not quite the typical El Ni\u00f1o jet stream<\/a> pattern juuuuust yet despite our dry weather and California\u2019s rain, but looking at the long range models, give it about a week or so because things look very El Nino-ey to start November.<\/p>\n

THIS IS THE SAME CITY THAT HAS JSN AND \u201cTHE DARK SIDE\u201d, CAN WE RALLY TO BEAT VEGAS?<\/p>\n

Maybe, but we\u2019ll have to really \u201cpour\u201d it on.<\/p>\n

We have a very weak disturbance \u2014 it would actually be an \u201caffront\u201d to call it a front \u2014 coming in Thursday that won\u2019t do more than just toss some clouds around and knock high temperatures back into the 50s. Rainfall? Bzzzt; maybe a few sprinkles.<\/p>\n

We get more sunshine back on Friday after some patchy fog but it will remain cooler with highs in the upper 50s.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s weather is still looking\u2026weird. A storm system races right up to about a couple hundred miles off the coast, then slams on the brakes.<\/p>\n

\"EMCWFEMCWF surface chart forecast for the weekend \u2014 That\u2019s as close as the storm gets to us this weekend?<\/p>\n

It does look close enough that we\u2019ll get the front edges of its rain for some light rain at times later Saturday into Saturday night, but not really the \u201cmeaty\u201d part of the storm, which will instead bug the mariners and fishermen offshore. The models are still debating exactly how close the storm gets. It looks like a solid rainy Saturday along the coast<\/a>, but only about a range from 0.05-0.20\u201d around the Puget Sound\/I-5 corridor \u2014 not really a washout. The more recent models are on the drier side even.<\/p>\n

\"EMCWFEMCWF surface chart forecast for the weekend \u2014 That\u2019s as close as the storm gets to us this weekend?<\/p>\n

The storm gets cut off from the atmospheric flow and starts to lazily spin offshore for a few days as it decides where to go. That leaves next week\u2019s forecast in a low-confidence flux because models do a poor job at handling cut-off lows. Some models spin the low back out to sea; others bring in a weakened version of the storm ashore into the Northwest like around Tuesday or Wednesday for some more light rain. Meanwhile, the overall jet stream is starting to energize to the south \u2014 a calling card of El Ni\u00f1o.<\/p>\n

\"EMCWFEMCWF surface chart forecast for the weekend \u2014 That\u2019s as close as the storm gets to us this weekend?<\/p>\n

I know everyone wants to know about Halloween but it\u2019s pointless without knowing how that cut off low behaves first; the forecast after it will be essentially dart throws. Already the recent Euro models range from rainy to perfectly sunny for Halloween.<\/p>\n

But so far, there\u2019s nothing in any scenario so far looking like it\u2019ll make up our 1+\u201d rain deficits.<\/p>\n

\"EMCWFEMCWF surface chart forecast for the weekend \u2014 That\u2019s as close as the storm gets to us this weekend?<\/p>\n

By middle of next week, Vegas can probably go into the kneel-down victory formation. At least their knee pads will get wet and muddy.<\/p>\n

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