Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Medford, OR

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725 FXUS66 KMFR 132130 AFDMFR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Medford OR 230 PM PDT Thu Jun 13 2024 .SHORT TERM...
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Thursday afternoon into Saturday evening...An upper ridge remains influential for current conditions this afternoon, with continuing clear skies and above seasonal daytime highs for inland northern California and southern Oregon. Temperatures along the Oregon coast as well as the Umpqua and Illinois valleys will be a little cooler than other areas. Friday will see zonal flow aloft ahead of a pattern change over the weekend. Patchy fog will be possible Friday morning over parts on inland Coos county and the northern Umpqua basin. Daytime temperatures will be near seasonal averages, and a shortwave will bring periods of cloud cover Friday afternoon and evening. Low temperatures across areas east of the Cascades will approach frost concerns on Friday night into Saturday morning. Temperatures in northern Klamath County look to be in the low 30s, with mid 30s expected for southern Klamath and northern Lake counties. While this isn`t a huge hazard given the dry conditions, these low temperatures can be harmful to animals or vegetation. The first and weaker of two weekend troughs will pass over the area on Saturday morning. The main effect of this trough will be supporting below seasonal temperatures during the day. Modest precipitation chances (20-40%) will be limited to northern portions of Coos and Douglas counties. Any rain that does manage to fall will be measured in the hundreths of inches, at most. -TAD .LONG TERM...Models are showing the potential for a wet and cool period Sunday and Monday with another low pressure center and frontal system approaching the area Saturday night and moving into the area from the west Sunday and Monday. This is followed a trend towards warmer and drier weather Wednesday and Thursday. Ahead of the low on Sunday, expect cool air to be in place. The National Blend of Models supports overnight temperatures (Saturday night and early Sunday morning) in the lower to mid 30s east of the Cascades. This along with mainly clear skies would bring frost to these areas. However, the track and timing of the frontal system moving into the area will be a factor, especially in whether cloud cover moves overhead. Cloud cover would result in slightly warmer temperatures Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Then, models and ensembles are favoring the low pressure system moving into the region on Sunday and Monday. The track and timing on this low is still uncertain. The variability in the strength and track of the low as it moves inland, ranging from southern/central Oregon to central California, will play a role in whether southern Oregon and northern California see widespread precipitation or more limited areas of showers. With an overall colder air mass in place, expect temperatures below normal Sunday and Monday, as well as lower snow levels (around 4500 to 6500 feet). These snow levels combined with precipitation may result in some light snow in the mountains but expect limited accumulation, except potentially at higher peaks. Gusty winds late Sunday and Monday will be a potential as well, especially for areas east of the Cascades and in the Shasta Valley. Stronger winds are expected if the low tracks into southern Oregon versus further south. Current models support winds gusting to 25 to 35 mph with a 10 to 15% chance for winds to gust to 40 mph. The upper low is expected to gradually move eastward Monday night into Tuesday. Late Tuesday through Thursday, models indicate weak trough to near zonal flow over the region with a high pressure ridge offshore. With this pattern expect temperatures to trend warmer and mainly dry conditions.
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&& .AVIATION...
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13/18Z TAFs...Patches of IFR linger at the coast near Brookings and Cape Arago. Further dissipation to clear skies is expected into this afternoon, but a mix of IFR/MVFR stratus is expected to return to the coast around 04Z this evening and persist until around 16Z Friday morning. Otherwise, conditions will remain VFR with high level cirrus arriving Friday morning. Also, gusty westerly breezes are expected this afternoon into the evening, with gusts to 30 mph over the higher terrain and east of the Cascades, including Klamath Falls. -DW
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&& .MARINE...
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Updated 230 PM Thursday, June 13, 2024...Winds and seas will remain elevated this evening, then steep seas linger south of Nesika Beach into Friday morning. Conditions will improve Friday, especially north of Cape Blanco, as a cold front approaches. The front passes on Friday night. A thermal trough over northern California may produce advisory strength north winds near shore south of Gold Beach Saturday afternoon and evening. By Sunday, there is a lot of uncertainty with model guidance, and there is the potential for a strong low to pass later Sunday into Monday. This could bring in a strong fresh swell in addition to stronger wind speeds than we currently have forecast. We essentially have a scenario where either an upper level low takes a northern track or a southern track through the region. As the track becomes clearer, we should have a much better idea of potential hazards (or lack thereof) early next week. -DW/Guerrero
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&& .MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
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OR...CA...None. PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM PDT this evening for PZZ350-370. Small Craft Advisory until 8 AM PDT Friday for PZZ356-376.
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&& $$ TAD/CC/DW