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000
FXUS66 KOTX 180458
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
958 PM PDT Wed Apr 17 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Continued cool and showery conditions will continue through
Thursday, before drying out and becoming breezy Friday. Showers
return for Saturday and Sunday. Mild and near normal temperatures
will return for early next week.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 304 PM PDT Wed Apr 17 2024/

DISCUSSION...

Tonight through Friday night: Numerous showers have popped up across
the Eastern WA and ID Panhandle with light precipitation. So far we
have had reports of snow, rain, and graupel with these showers.
North winds will decrease overnight as the pressure gradient will
relax overnight and winds will calm down. With calm winds and
partial clearing overnight, there is another risk of frost and
temperatures around freezing.

A weak shortwave will slide through the region Thursday afternoon,
which will allow for another round of unstable conditions over the
ID Panhandle. Coverage will be less than what we see today, with
most of the showers contained to the ID Panhandle. Eastern and
Central Washington will see sunshine and remain dry. Daytime
temperature remain cool in the 50s. Showers and winds will weaken
again in the early evening hours.

For Friday, an upper level low will dig across the region that will
tighten the pressure gradient, creating gusty winds across the
Columbia Basin. Northeast winds will gust to 35 mph in the
afternoon, decreasing overnight. Besides the wind, conditions will
warm slightly and dry out, leaving sunny conditions for the region.
/KM

Saturday through Tuesday: We`ll remain under the influence of a
ridge through the first part of the day Saturday before the ridge
axis moves east and a shortwave trough takes its place. As the
shortwave approaches, cloud cover will increase and chances for
showers will pop up over the mountains. Winds will be breezy,
gusting to 25-30 mph across the region.

Breezy, showery conditions will last through Sunday, then weak
ridging will return to start off the workweek. Dry and mild weather
looks to prevail through at least mid- next week with temperatures
rising slightly above normal.

Afternoon highs for Saturday will be in the low to mid 60s. The
shortwave trough will knock temperatures down a few degrees for
Sunday, and after the trough moves through, a warming trend will
resume. Lows each night will be in the mid 30s to low 40s.
/Fewkes


&&

.AVIATION...
06z TAFS: Convective clouds are dissipating across eastern WA and
north ID. There are mid level clouds that are blossoming across
central WA including MWH/EAT. These clouds will likely continue
through the night and then clear towards mid to late morning.
Showers will redevelop again Thursday afternoon, but confidence of
them going over any particular TAF location is low.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: There is high
confidence in VFR conditions through the TAF period. HREF is
showing a 10-20% chance of MVFR conditions at COE from 09-16Z. NBM
has about a 5% chance. Confidence of MVFR conditions developing
is very low.

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

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        29  56  32  57  33  62 /  20  10   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  29  53  30  55  31  62 /  30  20   0   0   0   0
Pullman        28  53  31  58  33  62 /  30  10   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       32  61  35  64  37  69 /  10  10   0   0   0   0
Colville       23  56  27  58  27  62 /  20  30   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      27  51  29  53  30  58 /  40  30   0   0   0   0
Kellogg        29  50  29  52  31  62 /  40  40   0   0   0   0
Moses Lake     31  62  36  64  38  66 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      35  60  37  61  38  61 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Omak           31  61  35  63  34  64 /   0  10   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Frost Advisory from 2 AM to 9 AM PDT Thursday for Lewiston Area.

WA...Frost Advisory from 2 AM to 9 AM PDT Thursday for Lower Garfield
     and Asotin Counties-Moses Lake Area-Wenatchee Area.

&&

$$