Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Pendleton, OR
Issued by NWS Pendleton, OR
022 FXUS66 KPDT 070424 AFDPDT Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pendleton OR 924 PM PDT Mon Jul 6 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Widespread Moderate (Level 2 of 4) HeatRisk Tuesday - Slight chance to chance (15-35%) of thunderstorms today for central Oregon, then slight chance (10-20%) of thunderstorms for central Oregon and the Blue Mountains Tuesday afternoon and evening - Breezy to locally windy conditions coupled with low relative humidity for the Columbia Basin and Kittitas Valley Tuesday. Red Flag Warnings in effect 1 PM to 10 PM. && .DISCUSSION... Satellite imagery shows a compact mid-level low churning over the Blue Mountains, tracking slowly northeast. Widespread partly cloudy to overcast conditions associated with the low are present from central Oregon through the Blue Mountains, though partial clearing has been noted in central Oregon as the low departs to the northeast. Over the Oregon Cascade crest, a CU field has developed, and isolated thunderstorms have formed, mainly south of Deschutes County. Ample surface-based moisture (dew points in the upper 40s to mid-50s) coupled with sufficient instability (surface-based CAPE of 500-1000 J/kg per 12Z HREF guidance) will facilitate additional shower and thunderstorm develop with widespread 25-35% chances of thunderstorms for the central Oregon Cascades and central Oregon. Highest chances are for fire weather zones OR705 and the southern half of OR700. Storms are expected to be predominantly wet due to their slow-moving nature, so no Red Flag Warnings have been issued. Storms will be capable of producing frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, small hail, and gusty outflow winds up to 55 mph. Farther east, partly to mostly cloudy skies have inhibited surface heating and instability, but forcing from the aforementioned closed low could still provide enough lift to generate an isolated thunderstorm or two across the Blue Mountains (10-20% chance). Clearing skies are forecast Tuesday, so ample daytime heating is expected (90% confidence) across the majority of the region. Widespread Moderate (level 2 of 4) HeatRisk is forecast for the lower elevations. There is a low (10-35%) chance of afternoon high temperatures reaching or exceeding 100 degrees for the lower Columbia Basin and adjoining lower elevations. Tuesday afternoon and evening, another slight chance (10-20%) of thunderstorms is forecast for the region stretching from central Oregon through the Blue Mountains. There are low (5-10%) chances for the Blue Mountain foothills and lower Columbia Basin. Confidence in exact location of thunderstorms remains low, partly due to the late afternoon and evening arrival of upper-level forcing from an incoming shortwave trough that is expected to pass over southern Canada. Breezy to locally windy westerly to northwesterly winds coupled with low relative humidity will likely (70-90% confidence) result in areas of Red Flag conditions across the lower Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington as well as through the Kittitas Valley Tuesday afternoon and evening. Red Flag Warnings are in effect from 1 PM to 10 PM Tuesday for OR691, WA691, and WA690. Confidence in reaching Red Flag criteria elsewhere is low (30% or less). A quasi-zonal mid-level pattern is advertised by ensemble guidance through late week. This should keep periods of breezy to locally windy conditions and low relative humidity present, but confidence in overlap of wind and relative humidity is currently too low (50% or less) to have any additional watches or warnings in effect. Ensemble clusters suggest a high probability (70-90%) of an amplifying mid-level pattern by the weekend, with troughing offshore and a building high over the Four Corners and/or Western CONUS. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/... There will be more gusty winds on Tuesday as a stronger westelry component develops with gusts commonly between 20 and 30 knots at terminals DLS/YKM/PDT. Likewise RDM/BDN will also see gusts developing by have more of a northwest wind than a west or sw like the others. Visibility should be good everywhere 10sm of better, with no ceilings. && .Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs... PDT 89 57 96 59 / 0 0 0 0 ALW 91 62 98 65 / 0 0 0 0 PSC 93 58 100 63 / 0 0 0 0 YKM 95 61 99 60 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 92 59 98 63 / 0 0 0 10 ELN 92 59 93 58 / 0 0 0 0 RDM 85 53 92 51 / 10 20 0 10 LGD 87 56 95 59 / 10 0 20 10 GCD 82 53 95 55 / 60 10 10 10 DLS 96 64 94 62 / 0 0 0 0 && .PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...Red Flag Warning from 1 PM to 10 PM PDT Tuesday for WAZ690-691. OR...Red Flag Warning from 1 PM to 10 PM PDT Tuesday for ORZ691. && $$ DISCUSSION...86 AVIATION...71