textproduct: Pendleton

KEY MESSAGES

- Hot, dry and windy conditions today and Saturday have prompted Red Flag Warnings.

- Quieter weather into next week.

DISCUSSION

The high pressure that prompted the hot weather over the last few days has moved a bit eastward. The flow has become southwesterly as the Pacific Northwest is between the high and an area of low pressure off the coast.

This low will weaken as it moves towards British Columbia. However, a a piece of the trough will come onshore and a surface frontal boundary will move through the area. Additionally, the pressure gradient will tighten and allow for breezy to windy conditions beginning later today, continuing tonight and then resuming again on Saturday. Diurnal breezes will continue into Sunday. On Saturday, there is a 60 to 90 percent probability of wind gusts >= 39 mph across the Cascade gaps, Columbia Basin and Gorge and Kittitas Valley.

By Tuesday, the flow will become more westerly and the pressure gradient will weaken. Overall, after Saturday, it looks to be a relatively quiet week with few precipitation chances. High temperatures will start out above normal, then decrease to near normal and then begin to rise again late in the week.

There could also be diurnally breezy conditions Monday and Tuesday, with winds in the 20 to 25 mph range, possibly as high as 30 mph in the Cascade gaps, Columbia Basin and Gorge.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

VFR conditions to prevail through the period. Breezy winds developing today and tomorrow is expected to keep smoke from settling at sites, so there is low confidence (20%) in smoke impacts through the period. Breezy winds 12-20kts with gusts 20-30kts will develop at sites DLS/PDT/RDM/BDN this afternoon, becoming light overnight. Site YKM will see occasional gusts up to 20kts this afternoon. Otherwise, winds will be light through the period. Lawhorn/82

FIRE WEATHER

Red flag warnings remain in effect for today for portions of the area, and then for Saturday for a large area due to low RH and increasing winds. Conditions will still be breezy into Sunday but should be below red flag criteria.

Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs

PDT 97 61 90 54 / 0 0 0 0 ALW 100 66 93 60 / 0 0 0 0 PSC 100 65 94 58 / 0 0 0 0 YKM 99 63 89 57 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 100 66 92 57 / 0 0 0 0 ELN 94 59 87 53 / 0 0 0 0 RDM 95 54 89 48 / 0 0 0 0 LGD 101 60 97 55 / 0 0 0 0 GCD 100 57 95 53 / 0 0 0 0 DLS 95 64 84 60 / 0 0 0 0

PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for WAZ690- 691. OR...Red Flag Warning from 10 AM to 8 PM PDT Saturday for ORZ691- 697-704. Air Quality Alert until noon PDT today for ORZ044-049-050-502- 503-505-506-508-509-511. Red Flag Warning until 8 PM PDT Saturday for ORZ698-700.