936
FXUS66 KOTX 300003
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
503 PM PDT Wed Jul 29 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...
- Warming trend Thursday through Saturday pushing temperatures
  into the upper 80s to mid 90s.

- Widespread critical to localized extreme fire weather
  conditions on Saturday.

- Elevated fire weather conditions on Sunday.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
An upper-level ridge nudges back into the Inland Northwest
Thursday and Friday, boosting highs back into the upper 80s to
mid 90s. A robust cold front on Saturday will drive strong
surface winds and bring low humidity across the region, creating
widespread critical to localized extreme fire weather
conditions. Temperatures cool by 8-12 degrees on Sunday, though
lingering breezy winds will keep fire weather conditions
elevated.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Thursday and Friday: Upper-level ridging pushing north from the
Desert Southwest will initiate a warming trend Thursday and
Friday, driving afternoon high temperatures back into the upper
80s to mid 90s. Dry air will remain in place with afternoon
humidity falling into the teens to low 20s.

Saturday and Sunday: Saturday continues to be the primary focus
of the next seven days. A strong upper-level low will swing
inland over British Columbia, driving a strong dry cold front
through the Pacific Northwest and positioning an impressive
upper-level jet (120+ kts at 200 mb) directly over the area.
Model guidance maintains high surface wind forecasts Saturday
afternoon and evening. Probabilities for wind gusts exceeding
40 mph range from 70 to 100 percent across the Columbia Basin,
Waterville Plateau, Blue Mountains, and Lewiston- Clarkston
Valley. Over the Waterville Plateau and Blue Mountains where
the strongest winds will be focused, the National Blend of
Models indicates a 60 to 80 percent chance of gusts exceeding
50 mph. These impressive winds combined with minimum RH values
in the upper teens to low 20s will bring widespread critical to
localized extreme fire weather conditions.

Following the frontal passage, a sharp cooldown will limit highs
on Sunday to the mid 70s to low 80s, around 10 degrees cooler
than on Saturday. West winds will decrease some compared to
Saturday but will remain breezy, with sustained speeds of 10 to
20 mph and gusts of 25 to 35 mph.

Monday and Tuesday: A ridge of high pressure moves behind the
low pressure system on Monday and Tuesday, bringing
temperatures back into the 80s to low 90s with light winds
forecast across the region. /Fewkes

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAFS: VFR conditions expected for the next 24 hours. HREFS
has a near 100% probability of VFR conditions. Localized
wildfire smoke and haze could bring slight degradation to vis
but no MVFR conditions expected. Winds will be declining
overnight into light variable terrain driven. Winds will
expected to increase 15-20Z Thursday with increased mixing near
the surface from diurnal heating.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Low confidence
in impacts to visibilities due to wildfire smoke. /JDC

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

&&

.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Spokane        57  87  57  91  61  87 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  55  87  54  91  58  87 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Pullman        50  84  50  88  53  83 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       62  92  61  96  64  92 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Colville       48  88  50  91  53  88 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      49  86  51  89  53  87 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Kellogg        55  84  54  88  58  83 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Moses Lake     54  89  55  92  61  89 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      61  89  62  93  67  85 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Omak           56  92  57  95  61  91 /   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday
     evening for Colville Reservation (Zone 702)-East Portion
     of North Cascades National Park/Lake Chelan National
     Recreation Area (Zone 697)-East Washington Central
     Cascades (Zone 696)-East Washington North Cascades (Zone
     698)-Eastern Columbia Basin  -Palouse  -Spokane Area
     (Zone 708)-Foothills of Central Washington Cascades (Zone
     705)-Foothills of Northeast Washington (Zone 701)-Lower
     Palouse  -Snake River (Zone 709)-Methow Valley (Zone 704)-
     Okanogan Highlands and Kettle Mountains (Zone 699)-
     Okanogan Valley (Zone 703)-Selkirk Mountains of Northeast
     Washington (Zone 700)-Waterville Plateau (Zone 706)-
     Western Columbia Basin (Zone 707).
     Air Quality Alert until 5 PM PDT Tuesday for Chelan
     County, Douglas County, Okanogan County, Ferry County,
     Stevens County, Pend Oreille County, and Asotin County.
ID...Fire Weather Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday
     evening for Northern and Central Idaho Panhandle (Zone 101).
     Air Quality Alert until noon PDT Friday for Latah County, Lewis
     County, and Nez Perce County.

&&

$$