This has been Seattle’s driest April weather on record so far — but here comes the rain

It’s been the driest start to April since Seattle started recording its weather, with less than one-tenth of an inch of rain so far, according to the National Weather Service.

That’s about to change — perhaps making it easier for sun lovers to observe the governor’s stay-home order.

A more zonal weather pattern is emerging, with a front that’s expected to move in on Wednesday, or even as early as Tuesday, bringing more frequent rains than we’ve had in the first 20 days of the month, said weather service meteorologist Dana Felton.

“It won’t be one system coming in after another, but the systems will be more frequent than we’ve seen in the last three weeks,” he said.

The Wednesday showers are expected to last until Thursday evening, said weather service meteorologist Maddie Kristell. Friday will likely be mostly dry, she said, before another front moves in on Saturday.

“[Monday] will probably be the last day in the mid- to upper 60s before we break into [rainier weather],” Kristell said Monday afternoon.

The record for Seattle’s driest full month of April goes to 1939, when 0.16 inches of rain was recorded. In second place is 1956, with 0.33 inches of rain.

“So far we have .o6,” said Felton. “And we’ve got a long way to go to get through April. One good system and we ruin our chances to break the record.”

That’s good news for some gardeners who’ve bemoaned the need to get out their hoses and watering cans before May. It will also be welcomed by allergy sufferers, who’ve been besieged lately by high tree pollen counts.

The rain, Felton said, “will knock the pollen [that flourished in dry weather] out of the air.”