When will record-challenging heat subside in western US?

The western United States has gotten an early taste of summer this week, but a pattern change will bring cloudy, damp and cooler conditions by the weekend.

The shorts and sunglasses that have gotten ample use over the past few days will be traded in for light jackets and, in some cases, umbrellas in the span of 24 hours.

A storm will spin ashore as the week ends and the last weekend of April begins.

“A Pacific cold front will cool things noticeably by Friday and Saturday in the Pacific Northwest and into Northern California and the northern Rockies,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jack Boston.

The cooler air will then spread southward to the Southwest deserts and inland to the central Rockies from Saturday to Monday.

As the storm passes through, high temperatures in some locations will plummet up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit from their peak this week.

In Seattle, temperatures will go from record territory in the lower 80s F on Thursday to highs in the 50s over the weekend, which is slightly below normal for this time of year.

Triple-digit heat in Phoenix will be replaced with 80-degree weather at the start of the new week.

Boston anticipates some showers and high-elevation snow to accompany the cooler conditions.

The showery weather will spread inland from the Pacific Northwest and far Northern California on Thursday night through Friday to the northern Rockies and Great Basin on Saturday and Sunday.

Showers and storms are also likely to become more numerous during the afternoons this weekend over the central and southern Rockies.

People camping and hiking across the back country should use caution, as some of the rain showers could contain thunder, lightning and even small hail.

If you’re hiking when a thunderstorm approaches and far away from shelter, head to a valley or depression in the terrain away from lone trees that attract lightning or small streams that can overflow in a downpour.

Airline passengers in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle may face slower travel when compared to earlier in the week. Motorists along Interstate 5 should watch out for slick spots at the onset of rain due to a buildup of oil during the dry spell.

The precipitation will largely miss the areas of the West that are in dire need of rainfall, including Southern California and the Desert Southwest.

Temperatures may moderate in the West by the middle of next week, according to Boston.

While a return of near-record heat is not projected with the next warmup, the weather may turn drier and nicer for outdoor plans during the middle and latter part of the new week.

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