837
FXUS66 KPDT 242242
AFDPDT

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
342 PM PDT Fri Jul 24 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...
1. Hot, dry and windy conditions return Friday & Saturday
      *Red Flag Warning in affect for winds and RHs*

2. Continued dry and warm conditions Sunday

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Current satellite shows some fire activity down in central Oregon.
Fires appear to be relatively active on the landscape today,
especially those under the Red Flag Waring. Humidity in the area
around the fire is in the low to mid teens and winds are from the
west at about 10 mph. These conditions will persist through the rest
of the day today. Other than the smoke there are no clouds over the
region today with the exception of some cumulus building over the
Cascades. Today will remain clear with temperatures reaching into
the mid to upper 90s with isolated locations in the Basin see near
101.

Models show an upper level low off the coast of the PacNW. The low
has begun shift across the Cascades is bringing elevated winds
across the region. NBM raw ensembles shows there to be 80-90%
probabilities of sustained winds of 20-25 mph through the Gorge,
foothills of the southern Blues, north central and central OR,
Yakima and Kittitas Valleys. So far ground observations show the
Gorge has seen gusts to 20 mph. Winds are expected to pick up a bit
later in the afternoon according to the NBM Raw ensembles after
1600. Saturday raw ensembles show the same probabilities for the
same locations but winds are 25-35 mph sustained. Red Flag Warning
are in effect and cover the vast majority of the region. As the low
continues to move onshore, gradients will tighten a bit more and
winds will peak Saturday. Confidence in the winds and RHs criteria
is high (80-90%)

As we move into the remainder of the weekend and into next week,
models show the low to eject northeastward leaving the region with a
trough and dry southwest flow aloft. This will continue to usher in
dry conditions and slightly cooler temperatures. Even with this
slight cool of, daytime humidities will still remain critical. Winds
will be a typical diurnal pattern with some isolated breezy
conditions, mainly through the gaps. Nothing that warrants anything
other than continue elevate fire weather concerns.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/...VFR conditions to
prevail through period. Breezy winds developing today and
tomorrow is expected to keep smoke from settling at sites, so
there is low confidence (20%) in smoke impacts through the
period. Breezy winds 12-20kts with gusts 20-30kts will develop
at sites DLS/RDM/BDN this afternoon, becoming light overnight.
Breezy winds will then redevelop at most sites tomorrow
afternoon. Otherwise, winds will be light through the period.
Lawhorn/82

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
Today and tomorrow are critical fire weather days.
Winds of 15-25 mph and gusts of 25-40 mph is likely through the
afternoon and evening. Minimum relative humidities are low and Red
Flag Warnings are in effect through Saturday night. Sunday onward
will be dry and warm with elevated fire weather concerns as relative
humidities remain low.

&&

.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
PDT  61  90  54  86 /   0   0   0   0
ALW  66  93  60  89 /   0   0   0   0
PSC  65  94  58  91 /   0   0   0   0
YKM  63  89  57  89 /   0   0   0   0
HRI  66  92  57  89 /   0   0   0   0
ELN  59  87  53  82 /   0   0   0   0
RDM  54  89  48  87 /   0   0   0   0
LGD  60  97  55  91 /   0   0   0   0
GCD  57  95  53  92 /   0   0   0   0
DLS  64  84  60  85 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for WAZ690-
     691.
     Air Quality Alert until 11 AM PDT Monday for WAZ028>030.
OR...Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for ORZ691-
     697-704.
     Air Quality Alert until noon PDT Monday for ORZ049-050-502-503-
     505-506-508-509-511.
     Red Flag Warning until 8 PM PDT Saturday for ORZ698-700.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...90
AVIATION...82
FIRE WEATHER...90