Weather Eye: Get ready for that first taste of summer this week

OK, are you ready for it? Rain? No, a taste of summer with highs 80 to 85 degrees Wednesday and Thursday. First we’ll have a few showers today and the transitional day Monday, with slowly clearing skies.

Yep, we could see some record highs around the great Northwest as we are blessed with abundant sunshine. We usually get a tinge of 80 degrees before the end of the month, so it will not be highly unusual. Seattle averages the first 80-degree day around May 23. In 2010 the Emerald City didn’t see 80 degrees until July 7 (the official start of guaranteed summer weather).

Our first 80-degree day in 2013 was May 2, so we won’t be far off if we hit 80 degrees Wednesday. The warm spell this week will extract remaining pollen on the trees, including the prolific pines, so keep on the antihistamines.

With the moisture of late and the burst in outdoor heat, the May flowers we’ve been waiting for should put on a brilliant display as May rolls in Thursday. Shorts, T-shirts, sandals and sunglasses are on the weather charts, so get ready.

I wish I could say it will last for a week or so, but extended forecast models are trying to bring another cool trough of low pressure in next weekend. I’ll see what I can do about that.

The cold front that brought showers and blustery conditions late Saturday and into today dumped more snow in the Cascades. Spring skiing is on tap this week. Beach alert: If you can sneak away from work or whatever mid-week, the coast will also be sunny and warm, maybe with 80 degrees along the high-tide mark.

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://patricktimm.com.