Area Forecast Discussion Issued by NWS Spokane, WA
000
FXUS66 KOTX 172116
AFDOTX
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
216 PM PDT Sun Mar 17 2024
.SYNOPSIS...
High pressure will build over the Pacific Northwest through the
weekend, bringing an extended period of very warm and dry weather
to the region. The temperatures will cool and a chance of
precipitation returns next Wednesday onward, including mountain
snow into next weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Tonight through Tuesday night: High pressure will dominate the
weather much of this period, with mostly clear and dry conditions
and warm temperatures. Highs are forecast to be around 10-20
degrees above normal. This means highs in the mid-60s to mid-70s
and lows in the upper 30s and 40s. This will put some areas near
record highs. There remains some risk for patchy fog in the more
sheltered valleys, particularly near bodies of water, overnight
and in the early morning hours. However any fog that might develop
looks shallow and will not persist long after sunrise. The first
signs of a pattern change arrive Tuesday night as a first system
starts to approach from the west. This will come with increasing
clouds and, largely overnight, will bring limited rain chances
near the Cascade crest and toward far northeast WA and north ID
closer to the Canadian border. /Solveig
Wednesday through Sunday: The ridge will flatten Wednesday which
will bring back cooler temperatures and increase precipitation
chances. Impacts in the lowlands will be minimal as most of the
precipitation will be rain. By the weekend, low temperatures will
fall near or below freezing causing concerns for slippery morning
travel. Snow levels (Thu to Sun) will be low enough to bring
minor accumulations to the mountain passes but spread out over a
long enough period to minimize impacts.
Chance of 4" or more/8" or more Thu-Sun:
Stevens - 66%/35%
Lookout - 75%/45%
Sherman - 50%/20%
/Butler
&&
.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS: High pressure will result in VFR conditions for local
and regional airfields for the next 24 hrs. Some shallow patchy
fog is possible in the early morning hours in the sheltered
valleys, especially near bodies of water, including in the vcnty
of KSFF.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence in
VFR conditions. Low confidence in patchy fog reducing visibility
near SFF around 12-16Z Monday.
------------------------
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 42 68 43 68 43 60 / 0 0 0 0 0 20
Coeur d`Alene 41 65 42 65 41 56 / 0 0 0 0 0 30
Pullman 44 68 46 68 46 59 / 0 0 0 0 10 30
Lewiston 46 73 48 74 48 65 / 0 0 0 0 0 30
Colville 41 68 40 67 39 59 / 0 0 0 0 10 40
Sandpoint 39 61 40 60 41 52 / 0 0 0 0 10 50
Kellogg 44 66 44 66 44 56 / 0 0 0 0 10 40
Moses Lake 44 71 45 72 43 64 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
Wenatchee 47 71 48 73 46 61 / 0 0 0 0 0 10
Omak 45 72 45 72 44 64 / 0 0 0 0 0 20
&&
.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...None.
WA...None.
&&
$$