338
FXUS66 KPQR 081811
AFDPQR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Portland OR
1011 AM PST Wed Jan 8 2025

.SYNOPSIS...High pressure will largely result in dry weather
across the region. The main exception to this will be on Friday
when a front will bring widespread light valley rain and
mountain snow to the region with a few showers lingering over
the higher terrain into the weekend. A series of weaker systems
are also expected to bring light precipitation to the region
with another dry spell expected by Monday/Tuesday of next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Today through Tuesday...A ridge of high pressure
over the region will dominate through at least Thursday. This will
bring dry weather and seasonably normal temperatures through at least
Thursday night. Expect daytime high temps in the upper 40s to low 50s
through Thursday with gusty easterly winds up to 40 mph during the
afternoon and overnight hours within and near the Columbia River
Gorge through Friday. These gusty easterly winds may reach the
Portland/Vancouver Metro area during each afternoon, then retreat
towards Gresham/Troutdale overnight with gusts up to 35 mph.

Thursday night/Friday, a low pressure system will shift northeastward
towards Alaska/British Columbia, dragging an extended frontal system
into the Pacific Northwest. Timing of this system still remains in
question, but most models have precipitation along the coast starting
Thursday night with precipitation pushing into the Willamette Valley
and Cascades by Friday morning. This system is expected to bring rain
Friday, transitioning into showers by Saturday. The Cascades will see
snow/rain until Sunday evening. Additionally,this system will lower
high temps into the mid 40s Friday through early next week. High
pressure is likely to return to the region by Monday, resulting in
dry weather for the start of the week, at least until Tuesday.
42/~Hall

&&

.AVIATION...This morning conditions have generally remained VFR
with mid to high level cloud cover streaming overhead. That said,
some low stratus/fog is present in the southern Willamette Valley
but should dissipate over the next couple of hours (by 18-20z).
Otherwise, expect VFR to prevail across the area through the rest
of the daytime hours into the evening. Fog could reform in
interior valleys 06-12z Thu as high pressure rebuilds overhead but
east winds out of the Gorge will likely help to limit these
concerns at immediate Portland area terminals. Best on HREF
guidance the highest confidence in fog formation tonight is south
of KSLE to KEUG.

PDX AND APPROACHES...VFR expected through the period. A passing
disturbance has lowered CIGs near 3.5kft this morning but these
should rise into the early afternoon hours followed by just a few
lingering high clouds (>10kft). Gorge winds redevelop 21-00z as
high pressure builds overhead, helping to keep fog out of the
terminal again tonight. -Schuldt/CB

&&

.MARINE...A dissipating frontal boundary offshore is promoting
5-10 kt southeast winds across the coastal waters this morning,
while a 8-10 ft westerly swell maintains low end Small Craft
Advisory level seas. Latest available buoy data suggests model
guidance may be slightly overdone with respect to this swell,
which would tend to support allowing current headlines to expire
later this morning as seas gradually subside to around 8 ft
this afternoon and eventually to around 6 ft on Thursday. Winds
will shift around to the north-northeast this afternoon as high
pressure rebuilds overhead. Expect relatively benign conditions
through Thursday as winds turn more offshore, though could see
some localized stronger gusts of 15-20 kt out of gaps in the
coastal terrain.

Conditions deteriorate Thursday night into Friday as another front
clips the northern waters and a larger swell arrives. After a
brief period of southerly winds Thursday night, winds will
strengthen out of the northwest and become gusty on Friday in the
wake of the front. Likelihood of Gales has trended down with
recent model runs (less than 10%) but another round of Small Craft
headlines is likely as winds gust to 25-30 kt through Friday, The
building westerly swell will also help to push seas back into the
low to mid teens through early Saturday. Look for winds and seas
to trend back down as high pressure builds back over the region
Sunday through early next week. /CB

&&

.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...None.
WA...None.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM PST this afternoon for PZZ210.
&&

$$

www.weather.gov/portland

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