Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Medford, OR
Issued by NWS Medford, OR
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555 FXUS66 KMFR 181114 AFDMFR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Medford OR 414 AM PDT Sat May 18 2024 .DISCUSSION...Model agreement is very good into Friday, with the main points of uncertainty being the strength of a seasonable/relatively weak trough Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday night, and (with a larger extent of uncertainty) another at the end of the forecast, around Friday night into next Saturday. Today looks to be the warmest out of the next 7 days, with readings near to several degrees above normal, which will be near the levels reached yesterday. After a solid week of much warmer and drier than normal weather, the shift to seasonable conditions for the next week will be noticeable. The other main characteristic, at least through Wednesday, will be continued stronger than normal afternoon into evening breezes, with winds mainly out of the west to northwest. Winds this afternoon will be stronger than yesterday (with gusts at 15 to 30 mph), almost as strong late in the day Sunday through Tuesday, then possibly at a slightly stronger peak for Wednesday. Regarding precipitation, the chances will be late tonight into Sunday morning for Coos and northern Douglas counties with a few hundredths of an inch possible, then first and most significantly in that same area with the aforementioned cold front Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening, extending across at least southern Oregon Tuesday night into Wednesday with amounts mainly up to a tenth of an inch. Some break between systems is likely Thursday, then the next trough will move southeast into the Pacific Northwest. There is a wide variety of solutions regarding the southern extent and strength of this trough, with the possibility of either a quick glancing blow of minimal impact or the necessity of raising the current slight chances of precipitation. At the least, temperatures Friday into the start of the Memorial Day weekend are likely to be slightly below normal to near normal with coastal highs near 60, lower 70s on the west side, lower to mid 60s on the east side, and mainly 50s in the mountains. && .AVIATION...18/06Z TAFs...Clear skies and VFR conditions across the forecast area will continue through most of the TAF period. Some higher cirrus may filter in from the north, especially in Oregon. The main concern tonight will be LIFR ceilings along the coast later tonight as the boundary layer compresses, however; guidance is not showing this potential, and Satellite currently does not show the indications yet. Will put this at a 40% chance, and will leave it out of the TAFS for now. Then, Saturday, higher clouds may filter in from the north, mostly staying confined to Oregon. The bigger concern will be gusty northwest to north winds 20 to 30 kts across most of Oregon and California, impacting all terminals in the afternoon. Breezy winds are most likely to occur between 2pm and 11pm PDT. -Schaaf && .MARINE...Updated 200 AM Saturday, May 18, 2024...A thermal trough pattern will maintain gusty north winds and steep to very steep seas through the weekend into early next week. Seas will be highest south of Cape Blanco around Brookings with waves up to 10-12 feet today. Meanwhile, areas near Florence and Coos Bay will see waves around 5 to 7 feet. Seas will be a combination of fresh swell out of the northwest and wind waves. Seas will remain hazardous to small craft through the weekend and into early next week. The thermal trough will weaken slightly early Sunday morning through the afternoon, but seas will remain steep through the majority of the waters. It will then strengthen again late Sunday into Monday, with yet more steep to very steep waves. Waves will then subside to around 4 to 6 feet across all the waters around Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. -CSP && .MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...CA...None. PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...Small Craft Advisory until 5 PM PDT Sunday for PZZ350-356-370-376. Hazardous Seas Warning until 2 AM PDT Sunday for PZZ356-376. && $$