786
FXUS66 KPDT 131818
AFDPDT

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
1018 AM PST Fri Feb 13 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Patchy dense fog this morning.

- Precipitation returns today through this weekend.

- Moderate to heavy mountain snow possible Monday onward next
  week.


.DISCUSSION...Patchy dense freezing fog will remain concentrated
along the Columbia River through majority of the night, which
led to issuing an Airport Weather Warning for KPSC reaching to a
quarter mile or lower. Current Night Fog satellite imagery shows
some patchy fog developing along I-84 at Boardman and upper
parts of the Grande Ronde Valley. The models (HRW NSSL, HRRR,
and NAM CONUS Nest) are aligned with the fog lasting through
later this morning over the Columbia River. Visibilities around
KPSC are currently observed with 1/4SM or less (>70%
confidence), but conditions should begin improving during
morning hours today.

As the 500-mb pattern becomes more zonal, precip activity will
return later this morning/early afternoon as a frontal system
makes its way to the PacNW. A weak atmospheric river (250-300 kg
m/s) may influence more precip to develop along the WA/OR
Cascades today. Precip may linger through Saturday across our
forecast area before the lower elevations goes into a dry period
Sunday with a tilted ridge. However, light precip may continue
for the mountain areas. Storm total QPF amounts from this
morning through early Sunday morning for the lower elevations
will exceed 0.05 inch or more with 0.25 inch or higher for the
Northwest Blues and WA/OR Cascades. For the remaining Sunday
with lingering precip, QPF amounts for OR Cascades and Northwest
Blues may exceed 0.10 inch or higher with Wallowa County at
0.10 inch or less. Snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches will
develop for the Northwest Blues, WA Cascades and southern parts
of Wallowa County for Friday through Saturday (40-50%
confidence). Sunday is when snow accumulations trend downward to
an inch or less for these areas.

Monday through Thursday morning, we will start to see heavy snow
accumulations over the mountain areas within a 72-hr period (12Z
Monday through 12Z Thursday). Snow levels may drop below 3.5
kft Monday onwards where Winter Weather Advisories may be
considered with WA/OR Cascades and the Northwest Blues seeing a
3-day Storm total snow exceeding 5 inches or more (50%
confidence). The probability for snow amounts exceeding 10
inches or more is 50-70% Tuesday through Thursday for OR
Cascades and Northwest Blues. Given that this snow forecast
being 4+ days out, confidence will be low (<30%) at this time.
Feaster/97

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/...
VFR conditions are currently in place for all sites except PSC
which remains affected by freezing fog. Expecting (80 percent
confidence) VSBY at PSC to improve by early afternoon.
Elsewhere, CIGs will continue to lower through afternoon, with
low (10-30 percent) chances of -RA by late afternoon and early
evening east of DLS; at DLS, have prevailing -RA. Precipitation
chances then increase to 30-50 percent at RDM/BDN/PDT/ALW
overnight into Saturday morning. 86

&&

.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
PDT  37  47  34  47 /  30  40  70  20
ALW  40  48  37  47 /  40  60  80  40
PSC  36  51  34  51 /  30  20  50  10
YKM  32  47  31  46 /  40  20  20  10
HRI  37  48  36  49 /  20  30  60  10
ELN  30  42  28  41 /  50  20  20  10
RDM  30  45  28  46 /  20  40  30  10
LGD  35  47  34  50 /  30  80  70  50
GCD  35  48  33  50 /  10  70  40  20
DLS  38  48  37  48 /  60  50  50  20

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...None.
OR...None.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...97
AVIATION...86