838
FXUS66 KPQR 212131
AFDPQR

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Portland OR
231 PM PDT Fri Aug 21 2026

.SYNOPSIS...Low pressure brings chances for showers tonight
and into Saturday across northwest Oregon and southwest
Washington, with a 15-20% chance for thunderstorms over the
Cascades and 5-10% chance elsewhere. Southerly winds tonight
will become more west/southwest on Saturday and return to a
west/northwest pattern Sunday. Seasonable weather returns Sunday
through the middle of next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...Tonight through Thursday...An upper level trough
over the northeast Pacific will continue to move eastward
towards the PacNW through the overnight hours. This will support
upper level cloud cover, a decrease in temps and a low chance
for precipitation through Saturday.

Hi-res models seem to be struggling with the development and
progression of precipitation across the area as the low shifts
over the area. The most up to date CAMs continue to show the
potential for light precipitation starting this evening and
continuing into the overnight hours. As winds shift more
southwesterly, PWAT values are expected to increase to between
1.0-1.30 inches across NW OR and SW WA. The biggest question
will be CAPE over the region. CAMs and high resolution models
continue to show surface based CAPE (SBCAPE) values 400-800 j/kg
is possible over the Cascades but a strong capping inversion of
75-175 J/kg of CIN could stifle any development. Most unstable
CAPE (MUCAPE) values are a bit higher in the 700-1100 J/kg range
over the Cascades which supports elevated instability in the
mid levels of the atmosphere, this lends credence to the
Cascades maintaining the highest probability of thunderstorms
through the overnight hours. It should also be noted that CIN
values over the Cascades are around 100-200 J/kg and that could
be enough to stifle any development for the Cascades as well.
Therefore, will continue to maintain the slight chance PoPs and
thunder (both 10-25%) over the area with the Cascades remaining
most likely for any precipitation initially then shifting north
of the OR/WA border as a weak cold front moves onshore late
tonight into Saturday morning. Any showers or storms will be
isolated with most locations likely remaining dry.

The upper level trough will continue to progress northeast through
the weekend. The weak cold front moving through the area early
Saturday will support daytime highs in the upper 70s to low 80s
for inland valleys as well as highs in the 60s along the coast
and 70s for the Cascades. Southerly winds which developed today
will become more west/southwest tonight and into Saturday. Winds
through west- east aligned mountain gaps could be gusty,
especially through the western Columbia River Gorge. Gusts
around 30 mph are expected with a 30-50% chance for isolated
gusts approaching 40 mph Saturday afternoon.

Zonal flow aloft develops Sunday as the upper level trough continues
to trek northeast away from the region. Seasonable highs in the
upper 70s to low 80s are expected across the interior lowlands.
Looking ahead into early next week, ensemble clusters favor
ridging over the central CONUS and the PacNW. Model spread for
high temperatures on Monday increases with the 10th-90th
percentiles ranging from the upper 70s to low 90s for the
interior lowlands. Confidence increases Tuesday and Wednesday
with highs likely in the mid 70s to mid 80s. Clusters indicate
another trough influencing the region by the middle of the week
but exact timing and upper level pattern are uncertain but
onshore flow and more seasonable temperatures would be favored.
/42-19

&&

.AVIATION...Through 00Z Sunday...Marine stratus remains along
portions of the coast, maintaining LIFR/IFR CIGs at KONP and MVFR
CIGs at KAST. While conditions may continue to improve at these
terminals, some coastal terminals will once again deteriorate
back to LIFR/IFR conditions by 00-02Z Sat as marine stratus pushes
back into the coast. While guidance suggests a 30% chance of LIFR
and 50-70% chance of IFR CIGS at KONP by 02Z Sat, guidance has
trended to only 30% chance of IFR CIGs at KAST. As for inland
terminals, expect VFR conditions and mid to high clouds through at
least 12Z Sat, then a 20-40% chance of MVFR CIGs between 12-18Z
Sat. Otherwise, expect mostly south to southwesterly winds
between 5-10 kt through the TAF period, with the exception of
10-15 kt with gusts up to 25 kt at coastal terminals beginning
around 16-18Z Sat.

KPDX AND APPROACHES...Expect VFR conditions and mid to high
clouds through at least 12Z Sat, then a 20-40% chance of MVFR CIGs
between 12-18Z Sat. Winds will be light and variable through
most of the period, although generally southerly and increasing to
around 6-8 kt by 10-12Z Sat. ~12

&&

.MARINE...South to southwest winds continue today as a low
pressure system moves over the northeast Pacific. A cold front
moves through Saturday, bringing a 50-80% chance for maximum wind
gusts to exceed 21 kt for the inner waters, including the
Columbia River Bar. As a result, a Small Craft Advisory has been
issued for the inner waters from 5 AM to 5 PM Saturday and for the
Columbia River Bar from 11 AM to 5 PM Saturday. For the outer
waters, chances are 20-50% with the highest values of that range
between 10 and 30 NM.

High pressure and northerly winds return by Sunday, with a 40-70%
chance for northerly wind gusts to exceed 21 kts in the evening
and continuing into Monday. Seas of 4-6 ft persist through the
period.~12

&&

.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

OR...None.
WA...None.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM to 5 PM PDT Saturday for PZZ210.

     Small Craft Advisory from 5 AM to 5 PM PDT Saturday for
     PZZ251>253.
&&

$$

www.weather.gov/portland

Interact with us via social media:
www.facebook.com/NWSPortland
x.com/NWSPortland