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The summer solstice is Thursday, June 20 at 1:50 p.m. and for Washingtonians, the weather is going to feel like summer by Thursday as well. The solstice also marks the longest day of the year with about 16 hours of daylight. Sunset won’t happen until 9:10 p.m. that day.

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After many parts of Western Washington had a cool and soggy Father’s Day weekend, the upcoming warmer weather with sunshine will be welcomed by many.

The lower pressure aloft that generated the cool showery weekend weather is expected to ease inland across the northern Rockies through Tuesday. The threat of showers will linger Monday, but primarily in the mountains with sun breaks and temperatures beginning their rebound, rising into the lower to mid-60s.

Higher pressure is forecast to build over the Pacific Northwest Tuesday through Friday, bringing clearing skies and warmer temperatures. Wednesday should have high temperatures rising into the 70s and, by Thursday on the solstice, temperatures should warm into the mid-70s to mid-80s — feeling more like summer.

The sunshine and summer-like temperatures are forecast to continue on Friday as well. With the Women’s PGA Championship starting Thursday at Sahalee Country Club on the Sammamish Plateau, the weather could not be finer for the world’s best female golfers.

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Looking ahead toward the weekend, it will be quite a contrast from Father’s Day weekend. The summer-like weather with sunshine and warm temperatures is expected to continue, though with some cooling down into the lower 70s by Sunday. Weather conditions should remain great for soccer fans with both the Sounders and Reign in action over the weekend, and nearly ideal for the Seattle Marathon on Saturday.

Anyway one looks at it, the summer solstice will usher in the first day of summer, and the weather will reflect it. In reviewing weather records at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) since the start of this century, the average date of this kind of summer-like weather has been around June 20. Who says summer does not begin around here until after the Fourth of July?

Ted Buehner is the ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Newsradio meteorologist. You can read more of Ted’s stories here and follow him on .