textproduct: Pendleton

KEY MESSAGES

- Elevated to critical fire weather conditions possible through the week with breezy winds developing with overlapping lingering dry air.

- Sub-par air quality continues from lingering wildfire smoke and haze.

- Dry conditions continue with an upper level ridge persisting over the region.

DISCUSSION

Current radar and satellite continue to advertise anticipated dry conditions across the entire region. Haze and smoke from local and regional wildland fires continue to impact air quality across the CWA over the next couple of days. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology continue their Air Quality Advisories/Alerts for Unhealthy air quality (go on our weather page for more detailed information) at least through Monday afternoon with possible extensions as determined by the respective agencies.

For now, a shortwave is currently exiting the region that developed breezy to locally winds across the area earlier today, especially near the Kittitas Valley with 35 to 45 mph gusts. With the shortwave propagating to the east, winds will remain relatively calm through the rest of the night with regular diurnal winds developing today. During the Monday/Tuesday timeframe, a thermal trough will develop that will bring breezy winds across the Columbia Basin (30 to 50 percent chance) with much drier air pushing in, dropping relative humidity values as far down as 10 to 20 percent. NBM currently advertises even drier conditions Wednesday with some relative humidity values possibly dropping in the single digits. With the onset of breezy winds developing in the Columbia Basin Tuesday overlapping with dry air, a Fire Weather Watch has been issued for the Oregon Columbia Basin and parts of Central Oregon. We will see elevated fire weather conditions persist through the late part of this week as dry air lingers and chances of breezy winds developing increase going into Thursday and Friday as well. Will need to assess going through the next couple of days, but will not be surprised if additional fire weather highlights are issued after the Tuesday event.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z TUESDAY/

VFR conditions for most TAF sites with light sustained winds of less than 12 knots continue over the next 24-hours. Will expect to see haze and smoke linger due to ongoing local and nearby wildfires in the area. All TAF sites will see a small chance (5 to 15 percent) of sub-VFR conditions temporarily developing with passing heavy plumes of smoke and haze.

Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs

PDT 81 48 88 52 / 0 0 0 0 ALW 83 54 90 57 / 0 0 0 0 PSC 86 52 92 55 / 0 0 0 0 YKM 84 56 91 59 / 0 0 0 0 HRI 85 53 91 57 / 0 0 0 0 ELN 81 54 88 58 / 0 0 0 0 RDM 82 44 89 49 / 0 0 0 0 LGD 82 48 88 52 / 0 0 0 0 GCD 84 48 90 52 / 0 0 0 0 DLS 86 59 93 62 / 0 0 0 0

PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...Air Quality Alert until 2 PM PDT this afternoon for WAZ028>030. OR...Fire Weather Watch from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening for ORZ691-701>703. Air Quality Alert until 2 PM PDT this afternoon for ORZ044-049- 050-502-503-505>511.