Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Portland, OR

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687 FXUS66 KPQR 190317 AAA AFDPQR Area Forecast Discussion UPDATED National Weather Service Portland OR 815 PM PDT Tue Jun 18 2024 ...EVENING UPDATE, for aviation weather. .SYNOPSIS...
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Much drier and warmer through the remainder of the week with building high pressure. High probability of temperatures into the 90s inland. Even with the rather warm temperatures, water in areas rivers and lakes will remain on the chilly side. Cooler and wetter pattern approaching on Sunday, with increasing chances for precipitation later next week.
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&& .SHORT TERM...
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Now through Friday...High pressure over the region will maintain clear skies overnight. Breezy evening north winds will ease after sunset. May have some patchy low clouds along the coast from Astoria northward, as well as inland through the Cowlitz Valley late tonight into very early Wed. The upper level rex block is slowly developing overnight into Wednesday which will enhance the high pressure at the surface. While there is a ridge forming at the low levels, ensembles are still forming a midlevel trough at 500 mb. Closer to the surface, a strengthening thermal trough extending from the California Central Valley into south-central Oregon will induce cross barrier flow over the Casacdes and subsequent downsloping for the interior lowlands. This will send highs well into the 80s on Wednesday afternoon for areas away from the coast, with NBM probabilistic guidance indicating around a 35% chance to reach 90 degrees across the Portland metro area, and 15% in the central Willamette Valley. Temperatures will rise further on Thursday and Friday with much higher confidence for highs in the 90s. One shift from previous forecasts is the extent of these high temperatures. While they formerly covered mainly the greater Portland-Vancouver Metro and the western Columbia River Gorge, they have spread further south into the Willamette Valley, and the valleys of the Cascade Foothills. Heat risk is moderate for the urban areas north of Salem. .LONG TERM...Saturday through Tuesday...The Rex block slowly degrades on Saturday as a weak long-wave trough dips southward. Still will be warm and dry, but with incoming onshore flow, conditions will slowly improve. More substantial cooling should come on Sunday as WPC ensemble clusters show good agreement on the next upper level trough beginning to impact the Pacific Northwest, with temps back closer to seasonal norms in the low to mid 70s. Precipitation continues to see low probabilities as the core of the upper trough remains north over BC. Northwest Oregon and southwestern Washington will see the highest chances for rainfall, but again are minimal. -Muessle/CB
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&& .AVIATION...
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High pressure will maintain VFR under clear skies tonight into Wed. Still have north winds gusting 20 to 25 kt along the coast this evening, but those winds will ease by midnight. Could see patchy IFR clouds along the coast from Seaside northward along the Washington coast later tonight into early Wed am, as well as in the Cowlitz River Valley as well. PDX AND APPROACHES...VFR under high pressure tonight and Wed. Can not rule out some patchy IFR stratus (CIGS 500 to 900 ft) over Clark county between 11Z and 15Z Wed, mainly north and east of Vancouver near the foothills. But, am not expecting that to affect PDX, so will keep 06Z TAF for PDX free of clouds. /Rockey
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&& .MARINE...Not much change as high pressure offshore is expected to persist through the week. Northerly winds around 15-20 kt will continue into this evening. A Small Craft Advisory will be in effect south of Cape Falcon through tonight. Expect will see periods of winds gusting up to 25 kt through Friday during the late afternoon and evenings. The northern zones are added tomorrow afternoon as winds increase across all waters. Small Craft Advisory is up through 11 PM Wednesday but will likely need to be extended later into the week. Seas around 4 to 6 feet will generally be wind driven through the week. A weak front is expected to approach the waters this weekend. -Batz/DH && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...None. WA...None. PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 2 PM to 11 PM PDT Wednesday for PZZ251-271. Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM PDT Wednesday for PZZ252-272. Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM PDT Wednesday for PZZ253-273. && $$ www.weather.gov/portland Interact with us via social media: www.facebook.com/NWSPortland www.twitter.com/NWSPortland