345
FXUS66 KOTX 081732
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
Issued by National Weather Service Seattle WA
1032 AM PDT Sat Aug 8 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Red Flag Warnings due to breezy westerly winds and low
  relative humidity remain in effect mainly for the Cascade
  gaps and Columbia Basin region.

- Widespread smoke and haze will continue today; some
  improvement is expected through the weekend, except in the
  vicinity of or downwind of ongoing wildfires.

- Continued elevated fire weather conditions Sunday for the
  Cascade gaps due to breezy westerly winds and low relative
  humidity.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
A ridge of high pressure will flatten today through the weekend
as a couple of shortwaves pass over the region. This will
facilitate elevated to critical fire weather conditions, and Red
Flag Warnings remain in effect for much of the region.
Widespread smoke and haze will continue today, and while
westerly winds are expected to bring some improvement to the
region this afternoon through the weekend, wildfire smoke will
continue to impact the region, especially in the vicinity of or
downwind of regional wildfires. A quasi-zonal upper-level
pattern will continue into next week, keeping periods of breezy
westerly winds in place.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Saturday and Sunday: Another day of widespread Red Flag
conditions are in store for much of the Inland Northwest today
as a shortwave trough races through the region. Overall, expect
west-southwest winds around 10-20 with gusts around 18-25 mph in
most locations under the Red Flag Warning. The one exception
will be the Cascade gaps where wind gusts in the evening will be
around 25-40 mph. Fires in Chelan and Okanogan County will be
well ventilated with westerly flow aloft and will have favorable
weather conditions for significant growth through the afternoon
and evening hours. Smoke output from these fires may knock
temperatures down a few degrees in eastern WA and north ID,
reducing fire risk slightly. Needless to say, avoid any
activities that may cause sparks as fuels are near/at record
dryness levels for this time of year. HRRR near surface smoke
output is showing impressive concentrations in the evening and
overnight hours downwind in the eastern third of WA and north
Idaho. If this were to occur, air quality will continue to be
degraded. Another push of Cascade gap winds will occur Sunday
afternoon and evening as another shortwave traverses the region,
leading to elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions
in the Wenatchee area and Waterville Plateau with gusts around
20-35 mph and relative humidity around 18-25 percent. The
wildcard is smoke reducing temperatures in those areas, which
would reduce fire risk.

Monday through Saturday: Zonal flow will continue through
Tuesday, bringing near normal temperatures and breezy winds to
the Cascade gaps in the evenings. Changes approach Wednesday as
our first chance of precipitation in a few weeks returns near
the Canadian border as a broad shortwave trough approaches from
the north. There is a 10-20% chance of showers (very little
precipitation expected) as this system moves through. There is a
small chance (10-20%) of thunderstorms in northeast WA and
north ID as this system slowly departs Thursday. Ensembles are
hinting towards above normal temperatures returning late next
week but with troughing setting up off the coast this raises
concerns for thunderstorms. /DB

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAFs: Visibilities and ceilings due to smoke have improved
overnight with the majority of the area terminals seeing VFR to
MVFR this morning. This will be relatively short- lived,
however, as widespread smoke from regional wildfires will bring
periods of MVFR/IFR cigs and lowered visibilities to the
terminals at times throughout the afternoon and evening hours.

W/NW winds will increase across the region once again this
afternoon with gusts up to 20-25 kt possible across the Basin
and up to 25-30 kt at KEAT and along the gaps in the Cascades.
Winds will peak this evening, easing late tonight.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence in
smoke and haze continuing to impact the area terminals today,
but low confidence in timing and extent of reduced vis/cigs.
Moderate confidence in the winds.

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

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        90  57  88  57  87  55 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  90  55  87  55  85  53 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Pullman        88  50  84  49  83  48 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       96  61  92  59  91  60 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Colville       89  49  89  49  88  47 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      86  52  85  52  84  50 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Kellogg        86  54  84  53  82  53 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Moses Lake     93  56  90  56  89  55 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      93  64  91  64  90  62 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Omak           91  58  91  59  91  58 /   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for 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 Valley (Zone 703)-Waterville Plateau (Zone 706)-
     Western Columbia Basin (Zone 707).
     Air Quality Alert until 11 AM PDT Wednesday for Central Chelan
     County-Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Moses Lake Area-
     Northeast Blue Mountains-Northeast Mountains-Okanogan
     Highlands-Okanogan Valley-Spokane Area-Upper Columbia
     Basin-Washington Palouse-Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee
     Area-Western Chelan County-Western Okanogan County.
     Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for Colville
     Reservation (Zone 702).
ID...Air Quality Alert until 11 AM PDT Sunday for Coeur d`Alene
     Area-Northern Panhandle.
     Air Quality Alert until 3 PM PDT Monday for Central Panhandle
     Mountains-Idaho Palouse-Lewis and Southern Nez Perce
     Counties-Lewiston Area.

&&

$$