


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Portland, OR
Issued by NWS Portland, OR
715 FXUS66 KPQR 140338 AAA AFDPQR Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Portland OR 838 PM PDT Wed Aug 13 2025 Updated Aviation Discussion .SYNOPSIS... Cooler conditions have arrived today as the strong high pressure ridge weakens and onshore flow increases. Inland highs will trend closer to seasonal norms, while marine clouds and patchy coastal fog linger along the shoreline. A strong trough will move in from the Gulf of Alaska late Thursday into Friday, bringing widespread rain, breezy conditions, and a more pronounced drop in temperatures. Drier and gradually warmer weather is expected to return early next week. && .SHORT TERM...Now through Thursday Night...The midweek cooldown is underway, with inland temperatures running roughly 10-15 degrees lower than Tuesdays highs. Skies remain mostly sunny across interior valleys, as todays onshore flow has not been strong enough to push marine stratus into the Willamette Valley. Coastal areas are seeing a mix of lingering low clouds and some breaks of sunshine this afternoon, following pockets of dense fog earlier in the day - mainly south of Lincoln City. This evening, conditions will stay mild, with overnight lows dipping into the upper 50s to low 60s for most inland location. Along the coast, low clouds and fog will redevelop overnight into Thursday morning, potentially reducing visibility before lifting later in the day. On Thursday, the first trough moves east while a stronger system approaches from the Gulf of Alaska. This will maintain and even strengthen westerly onshore flow, reinforcing cooler air and bringing more marine influence. Highs will be near or slightly below seasonal averages - upper 70s to low 80s inland, and 60s along the coast. Most areas will remain dry through the day, but rain chances will increase during the evening particularly along the north Oregon and south Washington coasts. Coastal rainfall totals by late Thursday night could reach 0.10 to 0.25 inches, with the highest amounts north of Astoria. .LONG TERM...Friday through Tuesday...A stronger Pacific system will arrive Friday, ushering in widespread rain and cooler- than-normal temperatures across the region. The associated warm front will bring steady precipitation during the day, followed by a cold front Friday night into early Saturday. Rain will be accompanied by breezy southerly to southwesterly winds, especially along the coast and high terrain. While confidence is high that most areas will see measurable rainfall, amounts will vary depending on the exact track of the system. Current trends suggest the heaviest totals north of Salem, with lighter - but still significant - amounts to the south. There is around a 40-70% chance for Friday 24 hour total rainfall to exceed 1 inch at the coast (north of Lincoln City), Cascades (north of Government Camp), and north of Portland. A 30-50% chance for Friday 24 hour total rainfall to exceed 0.5 inch for all other areas south of the aforementioned locations. Saturday, precipitation will move more inland, giving a 40-60% chance for Saturday 24 hour total rainfall to exceed 1 inch in the Cascades. Otherwise, highs on Friday and Saturday will generally stay in the mid to upper 70s inland. The pattern will be generally unfavorable for thunderstorms, though a brief window of instability could develop Saturday afternoon behind the cold front, mainly along the Cascades. Specifically, there is a 15-20% chance for thunderstorms in the Cascades and a 5-10% in the valley. From Sunday through early next week, the trough will weaken and shift eastward, allowing for drier weather and a gradually warming trend. However, residual onshore flow will likely keep temperatures near or just below normal through at least Monday. ~Hall && .AVIATION...Westerly flow aloft persists as upper level trough moves over the region. Moisture remains confined to the lower levels tonight through Thursday morning, with marine stratus expected to persist along the coast. IFR to LIFR conditions likely at KONP with around a 60% chance of fog reducing vsbys to 1/2SM. Low clouds also likely to develop near the western slopes of the Cascades and backbuild toward the I-5 corridor overnight. Chances for MVFR CIGs have increased through the Willamette Valley, with highest chances (60-80%) at KEUG between 08-16z Thursday. Elsewhere inland, chances for MVFR CIGs sit at around 40-60%. Expect conditions to improve to predominately VFR and CIGs lifting above FL050 by Thu afternoon as more midlevel moisture arrives. Light rain is expected to approach the coast by 00z Friday. PDX AND APPROACHES...Predominately VFR expected through the forecast period. Expect increasing low clouds after 08z Thu, with around a 50-60% chance of MVFR CIGs between 12-16z Thu morning. Northwest winds 7-9 kt this evening expected to become light early Thu morning. /DH && .MARINE...Weakening high pressure will maintain northwesterly winds across the waters through tonight with gusts around 10-15 kt or less. Seas around 6-8 ft at 8-9 seconds today will gradually fall to 5-6 ft at 7-8 seconds tonight. Thursday begins a pattern change as a low pressure system in the northeast Pacific shifts southeastward and turns winds more southwesterly. Latest model guidance projects a high confidence forecast in amplifying conditions during the frontal passage on Friday. Winds will be the main threat on early Friday morning through Saturday morning with a bulk of that front with a weak coastal jet forming. Winds will be strongest in PZZ251 and the northern most areas of PZZ252. Here, could see gusts as high as 30 kt. There currently a 20% chance of gale force winds near the Columbia River Bar and northward, though confidence is low. During this time, seas will be dominated by the wind wave. Conditions will settle into Saturday as the bulk of the front pushes inland and we become post frontal. Winds will become northwesterly once again. -Muessle && .PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...None. WA...None. PZ...None. && $$ www.weather.gov/portland Interact with us via social media: www.facebook.com/NWSPortland x.com/NWSPortland