Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Spokane, WA
Issued by NWS Spokane, WA
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451 FXUS66 KOTX 081831 AFDOTX Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 1031 AM PST Fri Nov 8 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Dry and quiet weather is forecast through Saturday afternoon as high pressure remains over the area. A weak weather system arrives over the weekend bringing a chance of light rain and mountain snow. Unsettled weather will continue through next week with periods of mountain snow and lowland rain. Snow over mountain passes may be moderate to heavy at times with winter travel possible. && .DISCUSSION... Friday through Saturday afternoon: Dry conditions and quiet weather will prevail across the Inland Northwest through Saturday afternoon while we remain under the influence of weak upper-level ridging. Warm, southwesterly flow aloft will create a strong inversion Friday night into Saturday morning which will be favorable for fog formation along rivers, lakes, and in the more sheltered valleys of northern WA and the ID panhandle. In addition to allowing fog to form, the strong inversion will trap smoke from numerous prescribed and pile burns across northern ID near the surface, so those located in the ID panhandle as well as near the WA-ID border may notice a haze in the air especially in the early morning hours on Saturday. Daytime highs Friday and Saturday will be mild in the upper 40s to mid 50s. Saturday evening through Sunday morning: An unsettled pattern returns with the first of a series of systems on track to move in late Saturday. This first system will be the weakest in the series, allowing us to ease back into an active weather pattern. Snow levels will start out above 5000 feet Saturday evening and will drop to 4500 feet by early Sunday morning for the North Cascades and the higher terrain along the WA-British Columbia border, thus precipitation will start out in the form of rain but will likely transition to a mix of rain and snow over Washington Pass by Sunday morning. Precip at lower elevation passes including Stevens and Lookout will stay as rain through this first system. Lowlands just east of the Cascades and in the lower Columbia Basin including Conconully, Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Ritzville, and Pullman will be in the rain shadow of the Cascades and only have around a 30 percent chance of seeing measurable precipitation with this first system. Chances for measurable rainfall get higher further east of the Cascades toward Colville, Spokane, and into the ID panhandle. /Fewkes Sunday through Thursday: An active weather pattern is in store as a series of weather systems passing through the area. A mild tap of southwest winds ahead of each system will help keep low temperatures above freezing for most valley locations supporting rain as the precipitation type. Snow levels start off between 5000-6500 feet Sunday and Monday, then down to 3500-4500 feet on Tuesday into Wednesday AM, before rising again to 4000-5500 feet Wednesday PM and Thursday. Timing of the first system arrives Sunday Night into Monday, followed by post-frontal showers Monday Night into Tuesday, before the next system arrives Wednesday into Thursday. Expect valley rain and mountain snow with each system. Below the probabilities from the National Blend of Models (NBM) of various snow thresholds being reaches for the two storms Storm 1: Sunday Night through Tuesday: Chances for 2+, 6+, 12+" Washington: 100%, 100%, 70% Stevens: 80%, 50%, 30%, Sherman: 50%, 5%, 0% Lookout: 60%, 20%, 5% Storm 2: TUE Night - Thursday: Chances for 2+, 6+, 12+, 18+" Washington: 100%, 100%, 100%, 70% Stevens: 100%, 50%, 25%, 10% Sherman: 95%, 60%, 10%, 0% Lookout: 90%, 70%, 10%, 0% JW && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS: There will be a gradual increase in high level clouds across the Inland Northwest as bands of cirrus clouds spread over the northern periphery of an upper level high pressure ridge. Strong low level stability will trap smoke near the surface over north Idaho and across eastern Washington. Visibility reductions from smoke will be up to 5 miles. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Low to moderate confidence is visibility reductions due to haze. ----------------------- 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 50 37 51 36 50 44 / 0 0 10 40 40 80 Coeur d`Alene 50 33 51 38 49 41 / 0 0 10 70 50 80 Pullman 54 36 52 38 51 42 / 0 0 0 50 40 70 Lewiston 54 37 57 43 58 45 / 0 0 0 30 20 50 Colville 48 31 48 34 45 39 / 0 0 20 60 50 90 Sandpoint 45 31 49 38 45 39 / 0 0 20 70 60 90 Kellogg 51 32 53 37 47 39 / 0 0 0 80 60 70 Moses Lake 52 29 49 32 50 43 / 0 0 10 20 20 80 Wenatchee 48 34 50 36 49 39 / 0 0 20 20 20 90 Omak 48 34 51 35 50 40 / 0 0 30 20 20 90 && .OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ID...None. WA...None. && $$