textproduct: Spokane

KEY MESSAGES

- Dry and mild through Friday.

- Wetter weekend expected with incoming front Saturday Night into Sunday

SYNOPSIS

Region will be under an upper level ridge for the next several days. The forecast then trends drier again. Temperatures will remain mild and above normal. Cold front over weekend will bring precip and breezy winds.

DISCUSSION

Tonight through Friday: A high pressure center will slowly move through Northern California. It will support another round of ridging over the Pacific Northwest. Lowlands will be under stratus and fog are expected to continue with the stable environment. Early morning commutes could be impacted with icy patches as residual moisture freezes. But drier air will help lessen the fog and icy patches coverage. Southeast Washington and Lower Idaho Panhandle will also get some afternoon sun. The higher elevations will have a better chance of getting sunshine. Temperatures will be mild with highs in the upper 40s and 50s and lows in the upper 20s and 30s.

Saturday and Tuesday: By the weekend, models are breaking down the ridge and swinging a cold front through region. Current runs are showing a decent plume of moisture associated with front. It will be a mountain snow, valley rain event as the front does not have good cold air advection. Through Tuesday, snow for the Cascades has a 72 hour range 2-8 inch ( 25-75 probability). Idaho Panhandle snow has a 1-4 inch range. Frontal passage on Sunday is hinting at breezy winds with afternoon gusts near 30 mph possible. Highs will be in the 40s. Lows will continue to be in the upper 20s and 30s. /JDC

AVIATION

00Z TAFS: Conditions have improved to VFR for TAF sites excluding KEAT. A still saturated boundary layer will bring another round of low stratus and fog across the Basin. Ceilings trend towards IFR after 08Z for KGEG-KSFF-KCOE-KEAT-KMWH. Conditions are expected to improve quicker than Tuesday as drier air pushes into the region.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Moderate confidence that conditions remain VFR through the TAF period for KPUW/KLWS. Low to moderate confidence on the timing of IFR conditions for KGEG-KSFF-KCOE-KEAT-KMWH.

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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 35 49 33 49 33 49 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Coeur d'Alene 35 50 33 51 34 49 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Pullman 37 54 36 54 36 52 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lewiston 39 57 37 57 38 55 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Colville 34 48 32 48 31 49 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sandpoint 37 47 33 48 33 47 / 10 10 0 0 0 0 Kellogg 39 53 38 56 37 53 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Moses Lake 34 49 34 51 33 47 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wenatchee 37 47 35 49 36 49 / 0 0 0 0 0 0 Omak 37 47 35 49 34 47 / 10 0 0 0 0 0

OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...None. ID...None.