161
FXUS66 KOTX 292128
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
228 PM PDT Fri Aug 29 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Thunderstorms continuing across northeast Washington and into
  the Northern Panhandle Friday evening.

- Hot temperatures next week, locally near 100, with Major to
  locally extreme HeatRisk. Record high temperatures for
  September possible for multiple locations.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
Threat for thunderstorms will decrease this evening. A strong
ridge of high pressure will then begin to build in this weekend.
Hot temperatures return with the ridge that will extend through
next week. High temperatures will climb back into the upper 90s to
near 100 degrees.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

...HOT WEATHER WITH WIDESPREAD MAJOR HEATRISK NEXT WEEK...

Tonight through Friday: A strong ridge of high pressure will
begin to build in over the Northwest this weekend. This upcoming
ridge will be anomalously strong and will sit over the region
for an extended period of time that will stretch through the
next work week. Temperatures will soar into the upper 90s across
the Inland Northwest with hotter locations such as Lewiston,
Moses Lake, Wenatchee, and Omak expected to be at or above 100
degrees by Monday and continue through at least Thursday. The
Spokane-Coeur d`Alene area will also be flirting with 100
degrees Monday through Wednesday. The record hottest temperature
in Spokane for the month of September is 98 degrees, so Spokane
is forecast to break that record or at least come very close.
For Wenatchee, the record hottest temperature in September is
101 degrees and they too will be very close to breaking that
mark. HeatRisk will increase into the Major category for much of
the region with pockets of extreme HeatRisk also expected in
central Washington due to the multiple days of hot daytime
temperatures and little relief at night. The region will also be
dry with relative humidity in the teens for multiple days next
week. This will continue to stress fuels. Ongoing fires and any
new fires will see prime conditions for growth. The anticipation
of increased fire activity will also lead to the potential of
greater smoke production that could impact air quality across
the region as well. /SVH

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAFS: The atmosphere will be conditionally unstable today
with diurnally driven showers and thunderstorms across the
northern mountains and in the Idaho Panhandle. Airports that will
see the potential for building cumulus and thunderstorms will
include the Methow Valley (KS52), Omak (KOMK), Colville (K63S),
Sandpoint (KSZT), and Bonners Ferry (K65S). Convection will
develop over the mountains and drift west-northwest and will be
capable of heavy downpours and gusty outflow winds. Winds will
otherwise be light and terrain driven across the region.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence
in VFR conditions. High confidence for thunderstorms remaining
north and east of the Columbia Basin today. KCOE will see a 20%
chance for thunderstorms between 22-02Z this afternoon with
better chances being north and east of this airport. All other
TAF sites having less than a 10% chance for thunderstorms. /SVH

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

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:/weather.gov/otx/avndashboard

&&

.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Spokane        59  92  61  96  63  98 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  59  92  61  97  63  99 /  10   0   0   0   0   0
Pullman        54  90  59  94  59  96 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       64  97  66 100  67 100 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Colville       49  91  51  94  52  97 /  20   0   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      53  88  55  93  57  97 /  10   0   0   0   0   0
Kellogg        61  88  64  95  66  97 /  10   0   0   0   0   0
Moses Lake     59  94  63  96  63  98 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      66  94  70  95  70  97 /  10   0   0   0  10   0
Omak           63  95  64  97  67 101 /  10   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...None.
ID...Air Quality Alert until 10 AM PDT Tuesday for Lewis and
     Southern Nez Perce Counties-Lewiston Area.

&&

$$