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000
FXUS66 KOTX 231118
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
418 AM PDT Tue Apr 23 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
Today, the passage of a weather system will produce locally
breezy conditions and a chance of mountain showers. Dry and
warm weather will return Wednesday and Thursday. A cooler
and occasionally breezy weather pattern is expected to
arrive Friday and persist into early next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Today through Thursday Night: Longwave weather pattern starts out as
progressive zonal flow atop a flat ridge with general axis placement
just off the west coast into Wednesday night. By Thursday a longwave
trof moves closer to the west coast and as a result the inland
longwave ridging gets shifted east. As a result the zonal flow atop
the flat inland ridge is more adapt at allowing disturbances
dropping down in the northwest flow of the northern branch of the
split flow through the offshore longwave trof to push through and
pass over Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Moisture remains
limited over lowland and valley locations between the lee of
Washington Cascades and the higher terrain of North Idaho so pops
will remain low, but some short term models suggest such a
disturbance could bring precip over the northern third of the
forecast area Thursday night primarily near and north of a Spokane
to Coeur d`Alene line. In addition a disturbance will bring about
breezy conditions to a number of locations as it passes through
today. As this weather pattern keeps the region free of lingering
trofs forecast temperatures remain on the warm side of climo for
this time of year. /Pelatti

Friday and Saturday: Breezy west winds are advertised by the
medium range models Fri and Sat as a broad upper level trough
descends from the Gulf of Alaska. West winds in the 15 to 20 mph
range with gusts of 30 mph or more appear to be a good bet on Fri
and Sat as cooler air spills across the Cascades. Friday`s
temperatures are expected to be several degrees cooler than
Thursday with the arrival of the initial cold front. Afternoon
highs on Friday should be in the 60s for most of our lowland
communities. By Saturday, much of the Inland Northwest will
experience high temperatures in the 50s as the Gulf of Alaskan
trough arrives in earnest. This trough doesn`t appear to bring
much moisture with it. Scattered showers will be focused
primarily over the mountains and the rising terrain of the West
Plains and Palouse. Precipitation chances Fri and Sat will be too
low to mention over the majority of the Columbia Basin,
Waterville Plateau, and Wenatchee area.

Sunday and Monday: Confidence continues to grow that next week
will begin cooler than average as a broad upper trough digs over
the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. Afternoon highs in the
50s will be common Sun and Mon. The majority of the Inland
Northwest will dip into the 30s Sun morning and again Mon and
Tue. At this time, it looks like sheltered valleys in northeast
Washington and the Idaho Panhandle will have the potential to dip
below freezing several nights as April ends and May begins.
/GKoch

&&

.AVIATION...
12Z TAFS: A weak frontal band is slowly making an exit from
the region this morning allowing for some light rain to linger
over the far eastern portion of the aviation area. VFR
conditions are expected to prevail with a chance for a
few hours of low stratus across the Spokane/Coeur d`Alene
corridor and on the Palouse Tuesday morning; however is still
not high enough to introduce into the TAFs. Tuesday
afternoon will be drier and breezy with gusts between 20-30 kts.


&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Spokane        67  42  65  40  67  46 /  10   0   0   0   0  10
Coeur d`Alene  65  42  63  39  67  45 /  20  10   0   0   0  10
Pullman        66  43  60  39  65  45 /  20  10   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       72  51  67  45  72  52 /  10  10   0   0   0   0
Colville       73  36  72  34  72  40 /  10   0   0   0   0  20
Sandpoint      63  40  63  38  64  43 /  20  10   0   0   0  20
Kellogg        61  43  60  39  65  45 /  50  20   0   0   0  10
Moses Lake     73  43  70  43  72  49 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      69  43  68  43  69  48 /   0   0   0   0   0  10
Omak           71  41  69  41  68  45 /   0   0   0   0   0  10

&&

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

&&

$$