Rare August Rain in Seattle Could Worsen Wildfire Risks in Eastern Washington
Seattle is set to experience a rare weather event this weekend with measurable rain in early August, a phenomenon that has occurred only twice since 1985. The National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts rain beginning Saturday morning, with totals of up to 0.25 inches along the coast and North Sound, and around 0.1 inches in Seattle and Puget Sound. While this rain is welcome in Western Washington, Eastern Washington will miss out due to the Cascades blocking precipitation. Instead, the region will face strong winds and low humidity, conditions that exacerbate wildfire risks. Fire Weather Watches have been issued across Eastern Washington, parts of Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, warning of wind gusts between 30-50 mph and relative humidity levels of 15-25%. Source time: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 02:12:10 GMT. 
