Cooler, cloudier start to June around Portland area

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- June gloom is here to stay as western Oregon and Washington prepare for an atmospheric river this weekend.

Mostly cloudy, but dry skies are expected to cool temperatures into the low to mid-70s on Saturday afternoon. Skies will remain mostly dry until the late evening hours. A few light and scattered rain showers are possible before the brunt of the system moves through the area Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Nearly all of Portland's monthly rainfall is expected during the first few days of the month. The unseasonably strong and late atmospheric river will keep the rain potential going through Monday evening and even into Tuesday.

The wet weather trend will drop Portland's temperatures nearly 10 degrees cooler than the average for the start of June. Typically, June sees warming temperatures with a nearly five-degree temperature climb. Despite the rainy start that's expected around Portland this June, the normal rain accumulation for the month puts June as the fourth driest month of the year.

Drier skies are expected to return after this late-season atmospheric river. Summer-like heat and drying skies will start working their way back into the western half of the country by the middle of next week.

Portland should prepare for some of the warmest temperatures of the year so far by Thursday and Friday. That's where highs will warm into the mid, if not upper 80s by the end of the first week in June.