560
FXUS66 KOTX 192255
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
355 PM PDT Thu Sep 19 2024

.SYNOPSIS...

Weather will trend drier toward the end of the work week, then
light rain chances mainly for the mountains Sunday into Monday. A
ridge of high pressure will deliver above normal temperatures
early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Today through Saturday night: The PacNW remains under a northwest
flow as an upper-level low moves south through California and
another travels northeast across Montana and North Dakota. Weak
ridging builds into the region this morning, keeping temperatures in
the 70s for much of the region, reaching the low 80s in the Columbia
Basin. Another system will pass to the north beginning overnight
tonight, tightening the pressure gradient to allow for winds to
increase in the Cascade Gaps and Waterville Plateau. Elevated winds
will increase late this evening, continuing overnight, before
decreasing early on Friday. As the weak front moves through Friday
afternoon, winds will switch more northerly through the Okanogan
Valley as this system continues to move east. Winds will decrease
Friday evening, continuing to be light and northerly
regionwide through Saturday.

Temperatures will be near normal Thursday, cooling Friday and
Saturday with temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s. Overnight
lows on Friday night will be the coolest we`ve seen in recent
months, with temperatures dropping generally into the 40s, with
valleys in the Idaho Panhandle and northern mountains dropping to
near or slightly below freezing. Those who are still tending to
gardens may want to take precautions. /KM

Sunday through Thursday: A strengthening ridge will be in place
over the region. An incoming trough will press into the ridge but
struggle to breach it. Ensembles have decent agreement of the
generally dry warming trend for the Inland Northwest. The best
chances of precip( around 20% probability of 0.1") are over the
Cascades and northern mountains for Sunday into Monday. The ridge
will bring some unseasonably warm temperatures along with it.
Highs will be in the upper 70s and 80s. Many areas will see highs
10-15 degrees above normal. Overnight lows will be in the 40s to
low 50s. The ridge is expected to breakdown by the end of the week
as an incoming trough will push it East and starts a cooling
trend for the weekend. /JDC


&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS: VFR conditions will prevail. A weather system passing
to the north will keep 10-15 kt westerly winds through this
evening for central and eastern WA. Wind gusts to near 20 kts are
forecast but could be locally stronger especially around KEAT.
Tomorrow morning and early afternoon there will be 10-20 kt
sustained north winds down the Okanogan valley with gusts up to 35
mph. As upvalley flow increases, wind gusts will decrease in the
mid-late afternoon in the Okanogan valley.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence
for VFR conditions to continue for the TAF sites.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Spokane        76  46  71  41  70  44 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  74  45  70  41  69  43 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Pullman        72  44  64  38  67  40 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       81  52  73  48  72  48 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Colville       75  36  69  31  70  35 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      72  42  67  36  66  40 /   0   0  10   0   0   0
Kellogg        72  46  64  43  66  46 /   0   0  10   0   0   0
Moses Lake     79  46  73  42  72  43 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      79  53  72  48  74  50 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Omak           81  47  75  44  75  48 /   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...None.
WA...None.
&&

$$