textproduct: Pendleton

KEY MESSAGES

- Widespread breezy to windy westerly winds Today, strongest through the Kittitas Valley

- Below-normal temperatures, breezy to locally windy westerly winds, and occasional mountain showers through the week

DISCUSSION

Upper low now is over eastern Oregon with the models shown a another piece of compact shortwave energy near the nrn BC coast swinging rapidly south to nrn CA coast by Tonight as the upper low elongates eastward into the northern Rockies. This setup transitions our region from cyclonic flow aloft to a little more subsident and NW flow pattern. Impact wise the pattern shift to drier and less windy over the first couple of days of the week. In the meantime Today (Sunday ) will be windy especially in gaps and lower Columbia Basin, Kittitas Valley, Simcoe Highlands. A wind advisory in in effect for the Kittitas Valley where the chances for gust in excess of 45 mph ins highest, and typically can have higher average sustained winds around 35mph or more. NBM 5.0 probabilities for wind gusts of 45 mph are around 50 to 70% through the Kittitas valley after about 2 pm this afternoon.

Below normal high temperatures continue though the week before a pattern shift allows for warning back up to normal and warmer than normal by the Independence Day Holiday weekend.

On a basis of the ensemble members and cluster analysis, perhaps a bit more agreement for the July 4th weekend in that a broad upper trough, transitioning to more zonal flow is the favored pattern, tossing out the idea of a slightly wetter solution, limiting precipitation to light amounts across the Cascades crest and eastern mountains of Oregon.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z MONDAY/

Most impactful to aviation weather and terminals will be the winds Today as sustained wind gusts winds develop and gain strength through the day. All terminals will have a westerly component. Winds and RDM and BDN become more northwesterly in the afternoon. Winds and ALW/PSC more southwesterly. Ceilings will remain IFR with showers relegated mainly to the eastern mountains Today.

FIRE WEATHER

Limited fire weather risk is expected as the cooler temperatures promote overall higher relative humidity values during the next few afternoons. Winds will be gusty Today in the Oregon and WA Columbia Basin, Simcoe Highlands especially the Kittitas valley, where a wind advisory is in effect after 10 am. Winds Today will be strongest with gusts up to 50 mph through WA690. Minimum afternoon relative humidities will however be around 40% or higher. Breezy to windy conditions can be expected just about each afternoon in the gaps, valleys and Lower Columbia Basin/River Gorge. By Saturday the relative humidity becomes once again more impactful to fire weather, dropping on average into the 10-25% range in the non Cascade mountains zones.

Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs

PDT 73 50 72 49 / 10 10 10 0 ALW 74 53 72 54 / 30 20 30 0 PSC 81 54 78 51 / 10 0 10 0 YKM 81 53 81 53 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 77 52 75 50 / 10 0 10 0 ELN 71 52 72 49 / 0 0 10 10 RDM 67 40 70 37 / 0 0 0 0 LGD 65 47 69 46 / 50 20 30 10 GCD 65 44 71 42 / 30 10 0 0 DLS 73 55 72 53 / 0 0 0 0

PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...Wind Advisory from 10 AM this morning to 11 PM PDT this evening for WAZ026. OR...None.