237
FXUS66 KOTX 141724
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
209 AM PDT Sun Jul 14 2024

.SYNOPSIS...

While the extreme heat has eased, it will stay hot, dry and
locally breezy through next week. Areas of haze and smoke will
linger over the Inland NW from local fires. Temperatures will
rebound for the second half of this week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Today through next Saturday: Temperatures will remain well above
normal as we move into the middle of July. A Heat Advisory remains
in effect through today across much of the region, with temperatures
ranging from 95 to 104, with the warmest values in the LC Valley and
deep Columbia Basin. Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s to
upper 60s. Flow will stay mainly zonal through Monday, before
ridging begins to strengthen starting Tuesday, allowing for
continued sunny skies and increasing temperatures. There is a Red
Flag Warning in effect for Sunday across the Cascades gaps around
Wenatchee and into the Columbia Basin. Winds will increase in the
lee of the Cascades this afternoon, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph.
Humidity today will drop into the teens to region.

Zonal flow will also keep pushing smoke from the Pioneer Fire and
additional fires in Oregon towards Eastern WA and the ID Panhandle.
Expect hazy skies to continue. Most of the smoke will stay elevated,
with decreased air quality around Lake Chelan. The latest air
quality readings and smoke outlooks can be found at fire.airnow.gov.

Monday will be the `coolest` day, with highs in the 90s to low 100s,
which is 5ish degrees above normal. As the ridge builds in Tuesday,
temperatures will start to warm, increasing by 2-3 degrees each day
through Saturday. As we reach Saturday, widespread 100 degree
temperatures for the lower elevations, reaching towards record
temperatures. Nighttime lows will also warm each day with upper 60s
to low 70s expected by Friday night. If you have outdoor plans late
this week into next weekend, plan for hot temperatures. /KM

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAFS: VFR conditions will prevail. Local reductions in
visibility are possible near and downwind of Lake Chelan due to
smoke from the Pioneer Fire. Breezy winds will increase across the
region this afternoon with the strongest winds in the lee of the
Cascades.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence in
VFR conditions.

-----------------------

Confidence descriptors:
Low - Less than a 30 percent chance
Moderate - 30 to 70 percent chance
High - Greater than a 70 percent chance

For additional probabilistic information for NWS Spokane airports,
please refer to the Aviation Dashboard on our webpage:
https:/www.weather.gov/otx/avndashboard

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Spokane        97  64  94  61  96  63 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  94  61  91  60  94  60 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Pullman        92  58  89  57  93  59 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Lewiston      104  67 100  66 103  69 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Colville       96  54  93  53  95  55 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      92  56  90  55  92  56 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Kellogg        91  64  88  64  91  66 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Moses Lake    101  60  98  60  99  64 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      98  67  99  67 101  73 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Omak          103  64 101  65 102  67 /   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Heat Advisory until 10 PM PDT this evening for Central Panhandle
     Mountains-Coeur d`Alene Area-Idaho Palouse-Lewis and
     Southern Nez Perce Counties-Lewiston Area-Northern
     Panhandle.

WA...Heat Advisory until 10 PM PDT this evening for Central Chelan
     County-Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Moses Lake Area-
     Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands-Okanogan Valley-
     Spokane Area-Upper Columbia Basin-Washington Palouse-
     Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee Area-Western Okanogan County.

     Red Flag Warning from 2 PM this afternoon to 9 PM PDT this
     evening for Foothills of Central Washington Cascades (Zone
     705)-Lower Palouse  -Snake River (Zone 709)-Waterville
     Plateau (Zone 706)-Western Columbia Basin (Zone 707).

&&

$$