Rich Marriott
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KING5-TV Senior Meteorologist; 48 years forecasting for Washington; Co-founder of NW Avalanche Center; Permanent Secretary International Snow Science Workshop
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Articles by Rich Marriott
South Sound forecast to warm into 80s with record heat in reach Original
SEATTLE — Unseasonably warm temperatures are expected to build across western Washington this weekend, with some areas flirting with record highs on Sunday. Saturday will start with patchy morning clouds before clearing to mostly sunny skies, with highs in the mid-60s to mid-70s. The real warmup arrives Sunday into Monday, when a strengthening ridge of high pressure over western Washington and British Columbia combines with developing thermal low pressure west of the Cascades.
How our flood control systems work in western Washington
AUBURN, Wash. — When heavy rain events hit western Washington, like an atmospheric river, water levels in the rivers can rise fast. In places such as the Kent Valley, flooding has always been a concern, and until the flood control dams were built, it limited development. In the 20th century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built dams and levees in western Washington, working to slow floodwaters and reduce the risk to homes and businesses. Flood control starts before a storm arrives.
Mountain pass travel difficulties expected Wednesday, Thursday amid snow
SNOQUALMIE PASS, Wash. — Mountain pass travel may be difficult on Tuesday and Wednesday due to heavy snow and rain over the mountain passes. This could complicate travel for anyone looking to cross the state to get to their Thanksgiving destination. The same system that's expected to bring an inch of rainfall to the lowlands will also drop inches of new snow on the mountain passes.
Coastal flood warning issued as king tides, heavy rain threaten Washington coast
The National Weather Service has upgraded a coastal flood watch to a warning for the northern coast of western Washington this week as king tides and heavy rain threaten flooding and coastal erosion.Coastal flooding is expected Wednesday and Thursday with the return of seasonal king tides, which will bring higher-than-normal tides between Nov. 5 and Nov. 9.
Rich Marriott on witnessing Mount St. Helens transform during eruption
SKAMANIA COUNTY, Wash. — When the first earthquakes occurred on Mount St. Helens on March 16, 1980, I was working as a meteorologist for the U.S. Forest Service at the Northwest Avalanche Center. Those earthquakes also triggered widespread large avalanches on the mountain in the late winter snowpack. Fortunately, no one was hurt by the slides even though the area was popular with cross-country skiers.
Rich Marriott on witnessing Mount St. Helens transform during eruption
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How solar activity could impact northern lights in western Washington this year
SEATTLE — It’s been one year since the impressive aurora borealis show lit up the sky in all of the lower 48 states. On the night of May 10-11, 2024, the colorful northern lights were sighted as far south as islands in the tropical Pacific. Space experts say more dazzling shows could be ahead this summer as the peak solar activity continues as part of the sun's natural cycle.
How you can see the smiley face moon in western Washington
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Will you be able to see Friday's planetary alignment in western Washington?
SEATTLE — The next few nights we’re going to see a parade of planets just after sunset. All seven of the other planets will be in the sky for a short time after sunset. You may recall that we had six planets in the sky at one time during the evenings in late January, but this time we will have all seven planets. From the Earth’s perspective, the other planets are all on the same side of the sun and are visible shortly after sunset.
Why western Washington could see third-driest January in 80 years
SEATAC, Wash. — This month could end up being one of the driest Januarys in 80 years, according to the KING 5 Weather team. So far in January 2025, just 1.04 inches of rain has fallen. Normally, nearly 4 inches have fallen by this point. If no more rain falls this month, it will end up being the third-driest January in 80 years at the Sea-Tac station. However, there is a chance of a small amount of rain late Thursday into Friday of this week, though it will be a light amount.
Here's how much snow western Washington can expect this week
SEATTLE — Snow has already been dumped upon the Cascade Mountains of western Washington this week, but the potential for lowland snow remains a possibility. As of Wednesday morning, Stevens Pass and White Pass both had seen at least 33 inches of snow this week. Mount Baker saw 28 inches of snow, while Snoqualmie Pass has seen 24 inches since Monday. By Thursday afternoon, a modified arctic front will drop southward from British Columbia as cold air flows out of the province.
Here's how much snow western Washington can expect this week
SEATTLE — Snow has already been dumped upon the Cascade Mountains of western Washington this week, but the potential for lowland snow remains a possibility. As of Wednesday morning, Stevens Pass and White Pass both had seen at least 33 inches of snow this week. Mount Baker saw 28 inches of snow, while Snoqualmie Pass has seen 24 inches since Monday. By Thursday afternoon, a modified arctic front will drop southward from British Columbia as cold air flows out of the province.
Here's where the final supermoon of 2023 will be most visible in western Washington
SEATTLE — Although there will be partly to mostly sunny skies Thursday night across western Washington, people should still be able to get a glimpse of the coinciding harvest moon and supermoon in the sky. The harvest moon will be most visible in the very early hours of Friday morning, but it will appear to be fully illuminated like a typical full moon through Saturday. The full moon is estimated to occur at 2:57 a.m. PT Friday morning.
Unlikely to see Northern Lights in Washington after brief appearance on Monday
SEATTLE — Unfortunately, it's unlikely that the Northern Lights will be visible in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, despite a geomagnetic storm. The "view line," or the farthest south people may see aurora borealis is just into the northern counties of western Washington on both Tuesday and Wednesday, but no significant aurorae are expected either night.
Northern Lights appeared in Washington on Monday, but unlikely for the rest of the week
SEATTLE — Unfortunately, it's unlikely that the Northern Lights will be visible in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday, despite a geomagnetic storm. The "view line," or the farthest south people may see aurora borealis is just into the northern counties of western Washington on both Tuesday and Wednesday, but no significant aurorae are expected either night.
Yes, Washington state could see the Northern Lights on Thursday
SEATTLE — The Northern Lights may make an appearance in parts of Washington Friday evening. An updated forecast from the the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center shows the aurora may be visible from the northern portions of Washington.
Why didn't it snow across Seattle, King County? Southerly winds
SEATTLE — With a Winter Storm Warning in place overnight through Tuesday, much of western Washington expected to wake up to snow on the ground Tuesday. But not everyone did. That's mainly due to warmer air that made it all the way north to Everett early Tuesday. Here's a detailed look at how parts of western Washington ended with multiple inches of snow, while other areas got little to no accumulation.
Washington state gains over 100 minutes of daylight in March
Did you notice the days getting longer? You’re not imagining things. Most of Washington state will gain over 100 minutes of daylight during March. SEATTLE — Spring has almost sprung in western Washington. While the official start of spring doesn’t officially arrive until the equinox on March 20, days are beginning to get noticeably longer. And there’s a reason why. We gain the more daylight in March than any other month, and it’s not because we “spring forward” for daylight saving time.
Washington state gains over 100 minutes of daylight in March
Did you notice the days getting longer? You’re not imagining things. Most of Washington state will gain over 100 minutes of daylight during March. SEATTLE — Spring has almost sprung in western Washington. While the official start of spring doesn’t officially arrive until the equinox on March 20, days are beginning to get noticeably longer. And there’s a reason why. We gain the more daylight in March than any other month, and it’s not because we “spring forward” for daylight saving time.
Seattle 'non-chef' nominated for prestigious James Beard Award
Ernasto "Red" Jackson's BBQ is famous in one of Seattle's toughest neighborhoods. SEATTLE — Ernasto “Red” Jackson doesn't see himself as a chef, but that's exactly what he's becoming known for after he was named a 2022 James Beard Award semi-finalist. Jackson was nominated for “Best Chef in the Northwest” for his creations at Lil Red's Jamaican BBQ and Soul Cuisine. "I'm just a cook, but I am extremely grateful,” said Jackson.
Seattle restaurant owner nominated for prestigious James Beard Award
Ernasto "Red" Jackson's BBQ is famous in one of Seattle's toughest neighborhoods. SEATTLE — Ernasto “Red” Jackson doesn't see himself as a chef, but that's exactly what he's becoming known for after he was named a 2022 James Beard Award semi-finalist. Jackson was nominated for “Best Chef in the Northwest” for his creations at Lil Red's Jamaican BBQ and Soul Cuisine. "I'm just a cook, but I am extremely grateful,” said Jackson.
EXPLAINER: What an atmospheric river is and how it's formed Original
Atmospheric river is a newer name for a familiar weather pattern in the Pacific Northwest called a “Pineapple Express.” SEATTLE — You've probably heard more and more about “atmospheric rivers” in western Washington over the winter, but it is not a new weather event for the Pacific Northwest.
Tacoma’s Owen Beach undergoing makeover to protect against rising sea levels
Construction to protect Owen Beach from rising sea levels is expected to be done next year. Editor's note: The video above on a planned re-design of Owen Beach originally aired in February 2020. Construction is underway to redesign Owen Beach in Tacoma to make it more resilient against rising sea levels. The construction phase of the project began in February and is estimated to be completed in mid-2022.
Washington heat wave offers glimpse of climate change’s impact on beer
An early summer heat wave in the Pacific Northwest triggered early season snowmelt and compounded the effects of drought. Editor’s note: The video above on the impact of climate change on beer originally aired in February 2020. Climate change could threaten one of your favorite fizzy beverages – beer – and we may be seeing a preview of that future now. In 2020, KING 5 first reported on how climate change would impact beer.
'Best meteor shower of the year': How to watch the Perseids in western Washington
The Perseids are considered "the best meteor shower of the year," with 50-100 meteors every hour during its peak, according to NASA. SEATTLE — One of the year's most exciting celestial shows is expected to peak Wednesday into Thursday. The annual Perseid meteor shower, on display through Aug. 24, is considered "the best meteor shower of the year," according to NASA, with 50-100 visible meteors every hour.
Look up! The last full moon of summer is Tuesday night
September's full moon is typically called the Harvest Moon. However, that is not the case this year. SEATTLE — The glow of the final full moon of summer will fill the sky Tuesday night. The September full moon is usually called the Harvest Moon, but this year it is called the Full Corn Moon (or the Fruit or Barley Moon to name a few). The moon will be 100% full at 10:22 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, September 1, 2020.
Tacoma redesigning popular beach using climate change projections
TACOMA Climate change projections of sea level rise is one reason Tacoma is making major changes to Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park. TACOMA, Wash. — The sea level is rising and research shows a lot could change in the next 80 years. Climate change projections of rising sea levels is one reason Tacoma is making major changes to one of its most popular beaches. It is using research from the University of Washington (UW) to redesign Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park.
How climate change could impact the beer you drink
MONEY Rising temperatures across the world could impact some of the key ingredients in beer, including hops. Climate change may threaten one of our nation’s favorite fizzy beverages: beer. Rising temperatures across the world could impact some of the key ingredients in beer, including hops. Hops are flowers that are used to flavor beers. The flowers are a cousin of cannabis but with no THC.
How climate change could impact the beer you drink
ENVIRONMENT Rising temperatures across the world could impact some of the key ingredients in beer, including hops. Climate change may threaten one of our nation’s favorite fizzy beverages: beer. Rising temperatures across the world could impact some of the key ingredients in beer, including hops. Hops are flowers that are used to flavor beers. The flowers are a cousin of cannabis but with no THC.
Seattle on track to tie record for most rainy days this January
WEATHER-BLOG By the end of this month, we're expected to tie records set in 1953 and 2006 for the most rainy days in January. SEATTLE — There's no doubt, it's been a soggy start to the year. And it's likely that this January will tie with previous records for most rainy days in Seattle. KING 5 Meteorologist Rich Marriott says Sea-Tac has experienced measurable rainfall of 0.01 inches or more on 26 of the 28 recorded days so far.
What's next: Cold temperatures, more lowland snow possible next week
WEATHER-BLOG It is almost certain we will see the coldest temperatures so far this winter next week. A weather system is expected to bring the cold temperatures and possible lowland snow to western Washington next week. It is almost certain the system will bring the coldest temperatures so far this winter. However, it isn’t possible to forecast snowfall quantities for next week until we are closer to the events.
Why this winter's forecast in the Pacific Northwest is more uncertain than usual
WEATHER-BLOG Forecasting the weather for the whole winter is always difficult, but several factors may make this winter harder than most. Autumn's arrival is announced by falling leaves, less daylight, and the ever-pressing question: what about winter? NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has put out its official winter forecast for the Pacific Northwest. Our region and much of the country for that matter is predicted to get above-normal temperatures this winter.
This winter's forecast in the Pacific Northwest is more uncertain than usual
WEATHER Forecasting the weather for the whole winter is always difficult, but several factors may make this winter harder than most. Autumn's arrival is announced by falling leaves, less daylight, and the ever-pressing question: what about winter? NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has put out its official winter forecast for the Pacific Northwest. Our region, and much of the country for that matter, is predicted to get above-normal temperatures this winter.
Trick-or-treat forecast: Dry Halloween in western Washington
SEATTLE — Good news for trick-or-treaters – Halloween is looking dry this year in western Washington. After our soaking earlier this week, Mother Nature is shifting gears and is about to put us in a long stretch of dry and mostly sunny weather. A big area of high pressure will develop off the coast in the next few days to start the stretch. One last weak weather system will brush by us on Friday, bringing with it a bit of rain.
Chilly Northwest summer? It may all be in your mind
KING5.com would like to send you push notifications about the latest news and weather. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. WEATHER-BLOG Some people feel it hasn't been much of a summer around western Washington, but the numbers tell a different story. Author: Rich Marriott Published: 12:33 PM PDT August 20, 2019 Updated: 2:42 PM PDT September 16, 2019 SEATTLE — People have complained about this being a chilly summer. There have been some chilly and wet days.
Why did western Washington see so much lightning Saturday night?
WEATHER-BLOG Video: Rich Pelman Saturday night's thunderstorms are more like what we would see in the Midwest. SEATTLE — Saturday night's weather certainly got our attention. The heavy rain and more than 2,000 lightning strikes in three hours led to flooded intersections and power outages. Due to the danger, outdoor events were canceled or postponed (or in the case of the Husky game delayed over 2 hours).
Chilly summer? It may all be in your mind!
WEATHER Some people feel it hasn't been much of a summer, but the numbers tell a different story! People have complained about this being a chilly summer. There have been some chilly and wet days. But is this summer warmer or colder compared to most? KING 5 Weather Weather We keep track of each day's high, low and average temperature at Sea-Tac (our main climatological site). Generally, the high temperature in summer is more a measure of how "summery" a day may feel.
Summer arrives: Sun, temperatures in the 80's this weekend
WEATHER-BLOG After a less than summer-like start to the month, warm weather may finally be settling in for a while. After a cloudy and wet start to July, western Washington is expecting to heat up this weekend with sunshine and highs in the 80's. A lot of people have been asking, "Where's summer?" But look at the numbers, and you realize that so far July has been pretty close to what our normal is.
Western Washington to see sun, highs in 70’s for Memorial Day weekend
WEATHER-BLOG Snapshot forecast: Chance of showers and highs in the upper 60's to low 70's Friday and Saturday. Sunshine and highs in the mid to upper 70's Sunday and Monday. SEATTLE — Memorial Day is usually billed as the first holiday weekend of summer, but in the Northwest, it is better known for the generous use of rain gear at festivals and blue tarps for camping. However, there is some hope for this year.
Timeline: Minor snow accumulation above 500 feet Saturday
WEATHER-BLOG Showers will continue over the weekend with lowering snow levels, but warming is expected after Tuesday. SEATTLE — Winter's grip on Puget Sound may not be loosening quite yet. Another round of cool showery air will settle in over the weekend. It's not as snowy and not as cold as earlier this month but still annoying. WATCH: Latest forecast Saturday Expect off and on showers mixed with sunbreaks during the day with snow levels near 500 feet.
Timeline: heaviest snowfall in Puget Sound area expected between 4-7 p.m
WEATHER The KING 5 high-resolution UW-WRF model gives a look at the timing of the next snowstorm. Here is how the snowstorm heading toward western Washington today will unfold, according to the latest weather models. Keep in mind it is a model and the numbers aren't exact. For example, the 5.5 inches in Tacoma could be between 4-7 inches. What it does tell us is there will be enough snow falling to cause problems and it helps pinpoint the more favored places and gives us rough timing.
Historic storm hit Northwest 12 years ago today
Twelve years ago today, a powerful storm pounded Washington state with rain and wind. Sea-Tac Airport recorded a wind gust of 69 mph, one of the strongest in its 73-year record. And the wind came shortly after setting a record of over 16 inches of rainfall in November. The wind combined with the saturated ground brought down thousands of trees and leftover 100,000 people without power.
Historic storm hit Northwest 12 years ago today
Twelve years ago today, a powerful storm pounded Washington state with rain and wind. Sea-Tac Airport recorded a wind gust of 69 mph, one of the strongest in its 73-year record. And the wind came shortly after setting a record of over 16 inches of rainfall in November. The wind combined with the saturated ground brought down thousands of trees and leftover 100,000 people without power.
Coldest air we've felt in months expected this week
Don't be fooled by all the sunshine this week. It's going to be chilly, especially at night. This will probably be our coldest air so far this fall. It also may be the first time we hit freezing temperatures at Sea-Tac. On average, this happens by Nov. 13. Cold temperatures forecast for Monday. (Photo: KING) A large ridge of high pressure is developing in the Pacific, putting the state into a cool but dry weather pattern for the week.
Rich Marriott's favorite Thanksgiving cocktails
KING 5 Meteorologist Rich Marriott shares the recipes for his favorite cocktails to make on Thanksgiving. Autumn Orchard The taste of fall in a glass. 4 oz Cognac 4 oz Calvados or Apple Brandy ½ oz Cointreau ½ oz Pear Liqueur 2 dashes of Angostura bitters 2-4 tsp fresh lime juice Shake over ice and pour into a sugar rimmed glass. Add a curl of orange peel. Note: The lime juice allows you to adjust the sweetness of the drink. I usually use the juice of one whole lime but it depends on your taste.
Halloween weather looks more like a treat than a trick
It looks wet off and on this week, but we may get a little break in the rainfall for ghosts and goblins who may be out Wednesday evening. A warm front will spread steady rain into western Washington later on Tuesday night and this will hang around until early on Wednesday when it changes to off and on showers. The good news is that those showers should gradually decrease and by the time the trick-or-treaters head out on their rounds, there should only be a couple left.
Eight days of below-normal temps around Puget Sound as fall nears
Fall doesn't officially arrive until Saturday evening, but it seems like nature has been preparing us for the past week. After a summer with several days of above-normal temperatures and little to no rain, we have had a string of eight days with below-normal high temperatures and more rainfall than we usually get this time of year. At the fall equinox on Saturday, the sun will be directly above the equator and our day and night lengths will be close to 12 hours each.
Ocean winds improve worst air quality in Puget Sound history
WEATHER-BLOG Onshore winds brought some relief from smoky air to Western Washington. We just experienced the worst air quality on record in Western Washington, according to University of Washington professor of Atmospheric Sciences Cliff Mass. The air quality in Western Washington was "unhealthy for everyone" at most air monitoring sites Wednesday. Puget Sound Clean Air Agency says these are the highest particulate levels so far this summer.
Perseids likely to be the best meteor shower of the year
The Perseid meteor shower is already underway. And even though it doesn't peak until the nights of August 11-12 (Saturday night) or 12-13 (Sunday night), it is already producing the fireball meteors that the Perseids are famous for. The Perseids are produced when the earth moves through the debris left behind by the Comet Swift Tuttle between July 17 to August 24. But it moves through the densest debris between August 11 and August 13.
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