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000
FXUS66 KOTX 230454
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
954 PM PDT Mon Apr 22 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
Mild and dry weather returns for the start of work week with 60s
and 70s for Tuesday and Wednesday. A subtle cooling trend arrives
late Wednesday into Thursday with breezy winds and small chances
for showers. Unsettled weather continues late Thursday through the
weekend and early next week with better chances for precipitation
across the lowlands.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Monday night and Tuesday: Currently, the Inland Northwest remains in
a broad northwest flow aloft as a shortwave passes through far
southeast British Columbia and a subtle ridge moves in from the
west. Current radar imagery shows weak showers developing across the
high terrain of northeast Washington and north Idaho, but I would
not expect these to produce much precipitation. Ridging will shift
over the Inland Northwest tonight as a closed upper level low moves
onshore northern British Columbia. Under this ridge, temperatures on
Tuesday will warm about 5 to 10 degrees compared to Monday with
highs in the mid 60s to low 70s.

Wednesday: A cold front associated with the low in British Columbia
will push across the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday. Zonal flow
aloft will keep precipitation in the Cascades. Models have trended
warmer for Wednesday as moisture increases from the southwest with a
second day with highs in the mid 60s to low 70s. Winds will be
breezy with the front with a minor concern for blowing dust and
grass fires in the upper Columbia Basin where there is a 50-60%
chance of wind gusts greater than 35 mph.

Thursday through Monday: Models continue to show a period of active
weather through the weekend with multiple systems passing through
the northwestern US. Thursday afternoon, models are in good
agreement with a surface low approaching the Washington coast and an
upper level trough digging along the western US. Models are in
general agreement for the potential of widespread precipitation
across the Inland Northwest, but there still remains differences on
the timing and strength resulting in uncertainty in the onset and
overall precipitation amounts. Subsequent shortwaves will continue
to bring additional rounds of precipitation Friday and Saturday.
Models are coming into better agreement that unsettled weather will
continue into the beginning of next week as large, occluded low
approaches the northwest. /vmt

&&

.AVIATION...
06z TAFS: A veil of cirrus clouds will move across the region
overnight through Tuesday. Winds will generally be light on
Tuesday, but will become breezier on Wednesday from the
southwest.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence in
VFR conditions.

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

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        35  66  39  66  41  61 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Coeur d`Alene  34  66  38  64  40  58 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Pullman        34  64  40  63  40  58 /   0   0   0   0   0  10
Lewiston       39  70  45  72  45  66 /   0   0   0   0   0  10
Colville       31  67  36  66  37  62 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Sandpoint      34  64  38  63  41  56 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Kellogg        37  64  42  62  43  54 /  10   0   0   0  10  20
Moses Lake     36  71  42  71  41  66 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Wenatchee      41  68  48  67  44  64 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Omak           38  70  44  70  42  65 /   0   0   0   0   0  20

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...None.
WA...None.
&&

$$