Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Spokane, WA
Issued by NWS Spokane, WA
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506 FXUS66 KOTX 201747 AFDOTX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 1047 AM PDT Fri Sep 20 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Weather will trend drier toward the end of the work week, then light rain chances mainly for the mountains Sunday into Monday. A ridge of high pressure will deliver above normal temperatures early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Today through Sunday night: We continue under a northwest flow as systems move to our north and south. The system passing to the north is tightening the pressure gradient, with increased winds. The breezy winds in the Cascade Gaps and Waterville Plateau currently will begin to decrease through the early morning as the front moves through. Behind the front, winds will switch more northerly through the Okanogan Valley, with gusts of 30 to 35 mph. Winds will decrease Friday evening, continuing to be light and northerly regionwide through Sunday. Temperatures will be near normal to slightly below normal Friday and Saturday with temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s. Overnight lows on Friday night will be the coolest we`ve seen in recent months, with temperatures dropping generally into the low 40s, with valleys in the Idaho Panhandle and northern mountains dropping to near or slightly below freezing. Pockets of colder temperatures in the northern mountains are possible, with those areas seeing upper 20s. Highs will warm slightly Sunday, with overnight lows trending warmer as well. Those who are still tending to gardens may want to take precautions. /KM Monday to Thursday: A ridge of high pressure builds over the Pacific Northwest through the first part of the work week, leading to dry conditions with above normal temperatures. Some slight shower chances linger near the Cascade crest and Central Panhandle Mountains Monday, mainly early. Then the building ridge dries things out. Temperatures are expected to push above normal by about 10-15 degrees or so Tuesday and Wednesday. Then the next trough edges toward the latter part of the work week, with temperature dipping again toward normal and the threat of mountain showers. The first shower chances push into the Cascades Wednesday as the ridge axis shifts east and the onshore flow increases. Then the risk expands to the northern WA and ID Panhandle mountains between Wednesday night and Thursday. Overall precipitation amounts look light. Otherwise it will remain partly cloudy. Winds will be relatively light through Tuesday, then start to becoming a bit breezier Wednesday and Thursday. Gusts near 15-20 mph will be possible. /Solveig && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS: VFR conditions will prevail. Wave clouds with cloud bases around 9 kft agl will persist from the Methow Valley over to the Okanogan Highlands today. Expect the potential for mid to high level turbulence with stronger winds aloft in a northwest to southeast oriented jet over the north portions of the Inland Northwest. Breezy west to northwest winds through the Cascades (KEAT) and northerly down the Okanogan Valley (KOMK) with gusts of 20-30 kts expected into the early afternoon. Wind gusts gradually decrease from mid afternoon into the evening (after 20Z). FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence for VFR conditions to continue. /SVH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Spokane 71 39 72 43 74 47 / 0 0 0 0 10 20 Coeur d`Alene 69 40 70 42 71 47 / 0 0 0 0 10 20 Pullman 65 38 69 39 70 45 / 0 0 0 0 10 20 Lewiston 73 48 74 48 76 55 / 0 0 0 0 0 20 Colville 69 31 72 34 72 38 / 0 0 0 0 20 20 Sandpoint 67 37 68 38 67 43 / 0 0 0 0 10 30 Kellogg 65 42 68 45 69 47 / 0 0 0 0 10 30 Moses Lake 73 42 74 43 77 49 / 0 0 0 0 10 10 Wenatchee 72 49 74 52 77 56 / 0 0 0 0 10 10 Omak 75 44 76 48 76 51 / 0 0 0 0 10 10 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...Freeze Watch from late tonight through Sunday morning for Northern Panhandle. WA...Freeze Watch from late tonight through Sunday morning for Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands. && $$