textproduct: Pendleton

KEY MESSAGES

- Breezy to windy conditions today with low relative humidities will create areas of elevated to critical fire weather conditions.

- Continued dry and breezy conditions will continue through early next week.

DISCUSSION

Westerly flow has set up across the region and gusty winds will remain for one more day. Wind gusts in the 25 to 30 mph range, with some areas as high as 35 mph and possibly even 40 mph across the Cascade gaps, Columbia Basin, Gorge, Simcoe Highlands and Kittitas Valley. NBM probabilities of wind gusts >=25 mph are greater than 80 percent across these areas. Wind gusts >= 39 mph are generally 50 percent or less except for portions of the Oregon Columbia Basin and the Kittitas Valley where they are 70 percent or higher.

Wind gusts will decrease Sunday, but will remain elevated, generally in the 20 to 25 mph range through Monday before decreasing further through midweek.

The combination of very low RH and the gusty winds will make for elevated to critical fire weather conditions today and Red Flag Warnings remain in place. For Sunday and Monday, concerns remain elevated, but widespread critical conditions are not anticipated.

Temperatures will also be about 5 or so degrees cooler today than on Friday and Sunday will be a few degrees cooler still.

AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SUNDAY/

VFR conditions are expected through the TAF period. The westerly flow has cleared out a lot of the smoke, at least temporarily. While some brief reduction in CIGS/VSBYs can not be ruled out, especially in the early mornings, widespread MVFR or lower conditions are not expected.

West to northwest wind gusts 20 to 30 kts are expected this afternoon and evening at all sites except PSC. All sites will return to 10 kts or less this evening and overnight.

FIRE WEATHER

Red Flag warnings remain in effect for today for the combination of low relative humidities (10-15 percent, and lower in a few areas) and wind gusts 25 to 30 mph and as high as 40 mph. Winds will decrease Sunday into Monday but remain in the 20 to 25 mph range. These winds will still be enough for elevated fire weather concerns. Temperatures will decrease a about 5 or so degrees today and a few more degrees Monday, which will cause a slight uptick in humidity.

Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs

PDT 93 56 89 57 / 0 0 0 0 ALW 94 63 91 62 / 0 0 0 0 PSC 96 59 93 58 / 0 0 0 0 YKM 96 60 93 59 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 95 62 92 60 / 0 0 0 0 ELN 89 59 88 57 / 0 0 0 0 RDM 93 48 90 46 / 0 0 0 0 LGD 95 55 92 55 / 0 0 0 0 GCD 95 54 92 53 / 0 0 0 0 DLS 93 62 90 60 / 0 0 0 0

PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for WAZ690-691. Air Quality Alert until 5 AM PDT Tuesday for WAZ024-026>030- 521>523. OR...Air Quality Alert until noon PDT Monday for ORZ041-044-049-050- 502-503-505>511. Red Flag Warning until 11 PM PDT this evening for ORZ691-701- 703.