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480
FXUS66 KOTX 241207
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
507 AM PDT Fri May 24 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
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Showers will continue across over north Idaho through the early
morning. Today will feature warmer temperatures with chances for
afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Saturday will be
cooler with breezy winds and light precipitation. Dry weather
returns on Sunday with temperatures warming into the 70s to low
80s on Memorial Day. A return of cool, wet weather is expected to
return midweek.
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&&

.DISCUSSION...
Today and Saturday: The morning will be benign for most across
the region. Lingering showers will continue over North Idaho
through mid morning as yesterdays shortwave continues to slide
East. Ensembles are in good agreement for another system impacting
the region Friday afternoon. A Gulf of Alaska Low will bring a
shortwave into the Pacific Northwest. It will shift the upper
level flow pattern from Northwest to Southwest. Ensembles are
showing a decent plume of moisture and instability moving over
Southeast Washington and the Lower Idaho Panhandle including
Lewiston. Thunderstorm timing is expected to be around 1PM-6PM. A
weaker area is once again Northeast Washington and the North Idaho
Panhandle. Impacts include gusty winds, small hail, and
lightning. Precip in these areas could reach up to 0.2". The rest
of the region could see an isolated rain shower with little to no
accumulation. Highs for the day will be in the 60s and low 70s.
Lows will be in the 40s.

For Saturday, the region will transition to a zonal flow pattern
as the trough shifts East. Any shower activity will mainly be over
the mountain areas of the Inland Northwest. The threat of
thunderstorms is weaker than Friday but can`t rule out an isolated
lightning strike with these showers. will be cooler than Friday
with highs in the upper 50s and 60s. Lows will be in the upper 30s
and 40s. /JDC

Sunday through Thursday: Zonal westerly flow will prevail on Sunday,
resulting in mainly dry conditions with the exception of a 30
percent chance of afternoon showers over orographically favored
areas - i.e., the Cascade Crest and higher terrain right along the
Canadian border. We`ll wake up to rather chilly temperatures Sunday
morning in the mid to upper 30s, but after sunrise we will quickly
warm to temperatures that are more typical for this time of year in
the 60s and 70s.

A ridge will begin to amplify over the region on Monday, squashing
any remaining shower chances and sending temperatures well into the
70s and even low 80s for some spots. With a light breeze of 5 to 15
mph and mostly sunny skies, Monday will be a beautiful day for any
outdoor plans. Temperatures on Tuesday will be even warmer than
those on Monday, and highs nearing 90 won`t be out of the question
for the deep Columbia Basin southeast of Moses Lake. Current
ensembles are giving this area a 10 to 20 percent chance of hitting
the 90s on Tuesday.

A cold front is expected to move through sometime in the Tuesday
afternoon/evening timeframe, bringing returning chances for showers
and thunderstorms. Southeast WA, northeast WA, and the Idaho
Panhandle have a 30 percent chance of seeing convective showers and
thunderstorm development Tuesday.

Following the passage of the cold front, temperatures will drop back
down to seasonal normals in the upper 60s to mid 70s Wednesday and
Thursday. A trough tracking through southern BC will likely bring
chances for showers along the border each afternoon through the end
of the week. /Fewkes

&&

.AVIATION...
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12Z TAFS: Light shower activity is continuing over North Idaho.
Low clouds and fog are situated over the sheltered valleys,
including Colville, Deer Park, Sandpoint, and Bonners Ferry. Mid
level clouds of GEG-SFF-COE will help keep low cigs from
developing. A weak system will approach the Inland Northwest early
Friday afternoon with showers developing across KPUW/KLWS Friday
afternoon and evening. Thunderstorm threat is around 10-15% for
LWS from 21-03Z.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
VFR conditions are expected for TAF sites through the period.
Afternoon rain and thunderstorms could cause PUW-LWS to have brief
period of MVFR.


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

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
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&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Spokane        67  45  60  39  65  45 /  10  30  40  10   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  66  46  57  40  62  44 /  20  40  60  10   0   0
Pullman        65  43  56  38  63  43 /  30  60  30  10   0   0
Lewiston       72  51  65  44  71  49 /  40  70  30   0   0   0
Colville       67  40  59  34  64  38 /  40  40  80  20  10   0
Sandpoint      63  44  55  40  60  42 /  40  60  80  40   0   0
Kellogg        63  46  54  41  60  45 /  30  60  70  30   0   0
Moses Lake     72  44  68  39  72  45 /  10  10  10   0   0   0
Wenatchee      68  46  64  44  69  48 /  10  10  10   0   0   0
Omak           70  46  66  39  72  45 /  20  30  30   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...None.
WA...None.
&&

$$