textproduct: Pendleton

KEY MESSAGES

- Breezy with the last day of below normal temperatures today. Breezy conditions possible again on Saturday.

- Warming temperatures into the holiday weekend and early next week.

- Generally dry conditions are expected, though some mainly mountain showers or thunderstorms are possible early next week.

DISCUSSION

The upper trough which has been over the western United States for much of the last week will begin to weaken and the flow will become more zonal over the next few days.

As a result, temperatures will begin to warm, and today will be the last day of the below normal temperatures. Additionally, there will be one last bit of shortwave energy moving through today, which will help enhance the trough before it begins to weaken Thursday and the zonal flow permeates Friday and Saturday.

By Sunday, the flow will become more southwesterly into early next week and this is when it is possible for any short waves to bring shower or thunderstorm chances, mainly to the mountains, but overall it should remain dry.

Additionally, high pressure will begin to build over the four corners and how strongly this ridge builds and how it interacts with other weather features over the course of the next week will determine how hot we get and ultimately if any triple digits are in our near future. But a warming trend through the holiday weekend and into early next week is definitely in store. By Monday and Tuesday, highs in the low to mid 90s across the Columbia Basin and other low elevation areas look to be likely.

Winds will be gusty again today, mainly across the Kittitas Valley, Simcoe Highlands, portions of the Gorge and north- central Oregon, though winds shouldn't be as strong as they have been. Gusts still could reach 25 to 35 mph with locally higher values. Today should be the last really breezy day.

Wind gusts do continue in the 20 to 30 mph range over the next few days in the Kittitas Valley, Columbia Gorge, Basin and Simcoe Highlands. By Saturday, these gusts coupled with RH values in the teens will lead to enhanced fire weather concerns and we will keep an eye on how things develop over the next few days for any potential fire weather headlines.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY/

VFR conditions are expected through the TAF period. Winds will gust around 20 kts at most sites through the afternoon and early evening hours and 25 to 30 kts at DLS.

Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs

PDT 76 46 80 51 / 0 0 0 0 ALW 77 52 81 57 / 0 0 0 0 PSC 81 51 83 54 / 0 0 0 0 YKM 82 51 83 53 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 79 49 82 54 / 0 0 0 0 ELN 74 47 77 50 / 0 0 0 0 RDM 75 38 80 42 / 0 0 0 0 LGD 76 45 81 50 / 0 0 0 0 GCD 78 43 83 48 / 0 0 0 0 DLS 74 52 79 55 / 0 0 0 0

PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...None. OR...None.