Sun is shining down on Tacoma this week. Is warm weather here to stay? Check the forecast

It seems like for much of spring so far, Tacoma and the rest of the south Puget Sound region have faced a continuous streak of overcast skies. Pierce County had vibrant, grab-your-hiking-boots levels of spring weather only intermittently in March and April. So far, May has been a mixed bag of clouds and sunshine.

But there’s good weather news ahead for Tacomans.

The National Weather Service predicts that from Monday onward, temperatures will continue to rise toward the 70s. That trend will continue until during the latter half of the week. The weekend will cap off with potential mid-80-degree temperatures on Mother’s Day Sunday.

“This certainly seems like the upper end on the tier [of climatology],” Jacob DeFlitch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle told The News Tribune.

Tacoma’s warming temperatures

DeFlitch says that Tacoma should expect to see partially cloudy skies in the coming days, especially during the mornings, but by Wednesday afternoon there should be nothing but sunshine and clear blue skies.

The meteorologist explains that the air is gradually warming because eastbound winds are carrying dry and warm air from the Cascade mountain range over to the south Puget Sound region, in addition to other maritime activity.

How long will the warm weather last?

Days to look out for this week, DeFlitch says, are Wednesday and Thursday, which will see the mercury passing into 70-degree territory. He says the week’s overall highlight will be on Saturday and Sunday, when 80-degree temperatures will seem more like summer.

The Mother’s Day weekend heat will continue into early next week, DeFlitch adds. He says that temperatures will likely drop into the 70-degree range by mid-week next week.

Tacoma temperature weather forecast

The following is a list of the current forecast temperatures for Tacoma per the NWS:

• Monday 8th: High 63; Low 48

• Tuesday 9th: High 63; Low 46

• Wednesday 10th: High 68; Low 49

• Thursday 11th: High 70; Low 51

• Friday 12th: High 75; Low 55

• Saturday 13th: High 81; Low 59

• Sunday 14th: High 86; Low 62

Cold-water alert

Although many Tacomans and others in Pierce County will be eager to take a dip in the Puget Sound or other body of water during the hot weather, DeFlitch cautions residents to refrain from diving head first into the water. He notes that though the area will experience an influx of heat, the Puget Sound is still at temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s.

Washington State Parks defines “cold water” as any body of water below 70 degrees. The state agency states that cold water can be hazardous, or even deadly, because swimmers may experience:

• Cold-water shock

• Swim failure

• Hypothermia