Seattle braces for "The Big Dark" as light fades fast
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Seattle is savoring a sunny start to fall this week, but the countdown to "The Big Dark" has begun.
Why it matters: No major U.S. city loses daylight faster than Seattle — and the darkness can leave residents grappling with seasonal depression and scrambling for happy lamps and extra coffee.
By the numbers: The Emerald City's last 7pm sunset until spring arrives this week, and by Nov. 2 — when clocks roll back one hour — we will have lost more than two hours of daylight since fall began Monday.
- By the winter solstice Dec. 21, we'll be down to eight hours of light a day, nearly 3 hours and 40 minutes less than we have now, per Time and Date.
Driving the news: The Big Dark means wet weather, too — though a ridge of high pressure will keep skies sunny and highs in the low to mid-70s through midweek, according to NWS Seattle meteorologist Reid Wolcott.
- Conditions cool into the upper 60s by late week, with showers possible over the weekend.
The big picture: This year's extended outlook tilts toward above-normal precipitation and above-normal temperatures as fall settles in, Wolcott says.
- Average rainfall jumps from 1.61 inch in September to nearly 4 inches in October and 6.31 inches in November, the city's wettest month, Wolcott told Axios.
What they're saying: "It's weather whiplash," Justin Shaw of the Seattle Weather Blog told Axios. "You go from sunny days and lawn furniture to coats and dark commutes in what feels like a week."
- "Temperatures are falling, and we're not far from the first freeze," Wolcott said. "Now's the time to think about how you'll prepare your home and yard for winter."
Flashback: The phrase "The Big Dark" first surfaced in local news coverage in 2017, when a National Weather Service meteorologist explained it was used internally to describe Seattle's long gloomy stretch.
Yes, but: For rain lovers and storm chasers, fall can be the best season, Shaw said.
- "It's the most exciting time around here," he said. "Dynamic windstorms, power outages and school cancellations. It feels like anything is possible."
Are you looking forward to the rainy season? Tell us what you like about it — and how you cope with the months of rain and early darkness.