500
FXUS66 KOTX 110430
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
930 PM PDT MON AUG 10 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WIDESPREAD SMOKE AND HAZE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION.
- ELEVATED FIRE CONDITIONS CONTINUE THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF
THE WEEK WITH POTENTIAL BREEZY WINDS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
WASHINGTON.
- SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.
SYNOPSIS
WIDESPREAD SMOKE AND HAZE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF OR
DOWNWIND OF REGIONAL WILDFIRES. A QUASI-ZONAL UPPER LEVEL
PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK,
BRINGING PERIODS OF BREEZY WESTERLY WINDS AND SOME SLIGHTLY
COOLER TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION. A TROUGH SKIRTING BY TO THE
NORTH MAY BRING SOME PRECIPITAITON CHANCES TO NORTHERN PORTIONS
OF THE AREA BY MID TO LATE WEEK.
DISCUSSION
ZONAL FLOW ALOFT REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION UNTIL
WEDNESDAY. THE EC/GFS AND NAM ALL BREAK DOWN THE ZONAL FLOW WITH
A AMPLIFYING 500 MB TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST WITH A COMPACT
VORTICITY CENTER FOR FORCING, LIFTING ACROSS THE WA CASCADES AND
COLUMBIA BASIN AROUND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS PATTERN INFLUENCE
WOULD IMPACT TEMPERATURES, BRING MOISTURE SOME MID LEVELS
MOISTURE AND INCREASED RISK FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WA CASCADE
CREST AS WELL AS INDUCE GUSTY WINDS TO THE GAP AREAS.
WITH THE INCOMING UPPER WAVE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT,
INCREASING PROBABILITIES FOR PRECIPITATION ACCOMPANY THE
INHERENT LIGHTNING RISK. NBM MEAN QPF RANGES FROM AROUND ONE
TENTH OF AN INCH UP TO ABOUT ONE HALF INCH ACROSS THE EAST
WASHINGTON CENTRAL AND NORTHERN CASCADES AND WESTERN METHOW
VALLEY. LESSER AMOUNTS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE OKANOGAN
HIGHLANDS/KETTLE MOUNTAINS AND SELKIRK MOUNTAINS. HEATRISK IS
LIMITED THIS WEEK FOR ALL AREAS EAST OF THE CASCADES, PRIMARILY
AFFECTING THOSE WHO ARE EXTREMELY SENSITIVE TO HEAT AND WITHOUT
COOLING OR HYDRATION.
AVIATION
06Z TAFS: SMOKE AND HAZE FROM REGIONAL WILDFIRES WILL CONTINUE
TO BRING REDUCED VISIBILITIES TO THE TAF SITES AT TIMES. WINDS
WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE OVERNIGHT THROUGH THE CASCADE GAPS
INCLUDING AT KEAT. KGEG/KSFF CAN EXPECTED A RETURN OF DEGRADED
VISIBILITIES (4-5SM) DUE TO HAZE AND SMOKE AFTER 0900Z.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
IN SMOKE AND HAZE CONTINUING TO IMPACT THE AREA TERMINALS, BUT
LOW CONFIDENCE IN EXTENT OF REDUCED VIS/CIGS.
-----------------------
CONFIDENCE DESCRIPTORS:
LOW - LESS THAN A 30 PERCENT CHANCE
MODERATE - 30 TO 70 PERCENT CHANCE
HIGH - GREATER THAN A 70 PERCENT CHANCE
FOR ADDITIONAL PROBABILISTIC INFORMATION FOR NWS SPOKANE AIRPORTS,
PLEASE REFER TO THE AVIATION DASHBOARD ON OUR WEBPAGE:
HTTPS:/WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OTX/AVNDASHBOARD
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
SPOKANE 55 86 55 84 54 82 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
COEUR D'ALENE 53 85 54 84 53 81 / 0 0 0 0 20 30
PULLMAN 47 83 48 81 46 81 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWISTON 59 91 60 88 60 87 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 46 86 47 83 43 80 / 0 0 0 30 60 40
SANDPOINT 49 83 49 80 46 75 / 0 0 0 10 70 40
KELLOGG 53 82 53 81 52 77 / 0 0 0 0 10 40
MOSES LAKE 54 89 57 87 57 86 / 0 0 0 0 10 0
WENATCHEE 62 89 63 86 62 85 / 0 0 0 10 40 10
OMAK 57 89 61 85 56 85 / 0 0 0 20 50 20
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR CENTRAL CHELAN
COUNTY-LOWER GARFIELD AND ASOTIN COUNTIES-MOSES LAKE AREA-
NORTHEAST BLUE MOUNTAINS-NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS-OKANOGAN
HIGHLANDS-OKANOGAN VALLEY-SPOKANE AREA-UPPER COLUMBIA
BASIN-WASHINGTON PALOUSE-WATERVILLE PLATEAU-WENATCHEE
AREA-WESTERN CHELAN COUNTY-WESTERN OKANOGAN COUNTY.
ID...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL 5 PM PDT WEDNESDAY FOR CENTRAL
PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS-COEUR D'ALENE AREA-IDAHO PALOUSE-
LEWIS AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES-LEWISTON AREA-
NORTHERN PANHANDLE.
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