871
FXUS66 KOTX 121234
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
534 AM PDT THU MAR 12 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- HIGH WINDS THURSDAY MORNING WITH POTENTIAL FOR TREE DAMAGE
AND POWER OUTAGES. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES NEED TO TAKE CAUTION.
- MODERATE TO HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW THIS WEEK OVER THE CASCADES
AND NORTH IDAHO MOUNTAIN PASSES.
SYNOPSIS
HIGH WINDS WILL SUBSIDE LATER THIS MORNING. PERSISTENT MODERATE
TO HEAVY SNOW WILL BRING WINTER TRAVEL CONDITIONS OVER THE
MOUNTAINS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT
LOWLAND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS AS WELL
FRIDAY MORNING.
DISCUSSION
PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS INTO FRIDAY. HIGH
WINDS THURSDAY MORNING...
TODAY AND TOMORROW: A POTENT WIND STORM IS UNDERWAY THIS MORNING
IN THE INLAND NORTHWEST AS A LOW PRESSURE HAS SLID THROUGH
SOUTHERN BC AND MOVED INTO SOUTHWEST AB. THE SYNOPTIC PRESSURE
GRADIENT AND COLD FRONT HAS BEEN STRONG ENOUGH TO MEET HIGH
WIND WARNING IN MANY AREAS ALREADY (DIRTYFACE SUMMIT: 102 MPH,
POST FALLS: 64 MPH, SPOKANE AP: 68 MPH, PULLMAN: 61 MPH, COEUR
D ALENE: 59 MPH, SPOKANE FELTS FIELD: 58 MPH, DEER PARK 58 MPH).
ALPENTAL SUMMIT GUSTED TO 134 MPH AND CHINOOK PASS SUMMIT
GUSTED TO 126 YESTERDAY EVENING WHICH GOES TO SHOW HOW STRONG
THE WINDS ARE ALOFT. THE LOW PRESSURE WILL QUICKLY PEEL OFF TO
THE EAST OUT OF ALBERTA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. I AM CONCERNED
FOR A PERIOD OF GUSTS 65+ MPH AS THE COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTH
THROUGH THE MORNING. FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS, THE PEAK TIMING
IS NOW THROUGH 3 AM. FOR THE HIGHWAY 2 CORRIDOR FROM STEVENS
PASS TO SPOKANE/I-90 EAST OF RITZVILLE TO LOOKOUT PASS, AND
US-95 BETWEEN CDA AND BONNERS FERRY, THE PEAK TIMING OF WINDS
WILL BE AROUND 2 TO 5 AM. PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL START TO RELAX
AROUND SUNRISE THIS MORNING, BUT WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY
THROUGH THE DAY.
MODERATE TO HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY
NIGHT AS THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER PLUME WAVERS. LOOKOUT PASS WILL
SEE A BRIEF LULL THIS MORNING BETWEEN 6 AM AND NOON BEHIND THE
FRONT. AFTER THAT, SNOW WILL BE CONTINUOUS AT THE PASSES.
MOUNTAIN SNOW WILL DECREASE IN INTENSITY FRIDAY NIGHT INTO
SATURDAY MORNING FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST AS ANOTHER COLD
FRONT PASSAGE OCCURS. THE NBM 10-90TH PERCENTILE HAS AN
ADDITIONAL 28-52 INCHES FOR SNOQUALMIE PASS, 25-46 INCHES FOR
STEVENS PASS, 11-28 INCHES FOR LOOKOUT PASS, AND 6-20 INCHES FOR
BLEWETT PASS.
LOWLAND SNOW CHANCES ARE STARTING TO INCREASE THIS EVENING THURSDAY
NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. 850 MB TEMPERATURES WILL CRASH TO 0C NEAR
THE WA/OR BORDER TO -6C NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT PASSAGE THIS MORNING AND STAY THERE AS WE STAY ON THE
COOL SIDE OF THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER. SNOW WILL INCREASE IN
COVERAGE EAST OF US-195 ON THE PALOUSE, THE CENTRAL PANHANDLE
VALLEYS , THE US-2 CORRIDOR FROM LEAVENWORTH TO NEWPORT, THE
CASCADE VALLEYS, AND PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. THERE
IS A CHANCE OF SOME WET SNOW IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN AS WELL.
SPOKANE/CDA AREA HAS A 30-60% CHANCE OF 2+ INCHES OF SNOW. THE
PALOUSE EAST OF 195, THE CAMAS PRAIRIE, AND VALLEYS IN THE
CENTRAL PANHANDLE HAVE A 60-90% CHANCE FOR 2+ INCHES OF SNOW.
SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT WILL BE
COOL AND DRIER AS DRY POST COLD FRONT AIR IS IN THE REGION.
HIGHS WILL REACH INTO THE 40S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE COOL IN
THE TEENS TO LOW 30S WITH FAIRLY CLEAR SKIES UNTIL LATE IN THE
NIGHT. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT THROUGH THE REGION SUNDAY MORNING,
INCREASING CLOUD COVER AND CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION IN THE
MOUNTAINS. SNOW WILL CHANGE TO RAIN IN THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THE
DAY AS TEMPERATURES INCREASE. MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE TO RIDE
ATOP THE RIDGE THROUGH THE WEEK BUT PRECIPITATION LOOKS TO BE
FAIRLY CONFINED TO THE MOUNTAINS. TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE 50S
AND 60S NEXT WEEK, EVEN INTO THE 70S IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN. DB
AVIATION
12Z TAFS: HIGH WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BE DECREASING THIS MORNING
BEHIND LAST NIGHT'S VIGOROUS COLD FRONT. THE NORTHERN EDGE OF
THE MOISTURE PLUME WILL WAIVER ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON
THURSDAY WITH INTERMITTENT PERIODS OF PRECIPITATION AT KPUW AND
KLWS BRINGING MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS. THERE IS A 20% CHANCE OF IFR
CIGS AT KLWS AFTER 21Z AND A 70-90% CHANCE AT KPUW. THURSDAY
NIGHT THE MOISTURE PLUME WILL EXPAND NORTHWARD TOWARDS
KGEG/KSFF/KCOE. MODELS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME NAILING DOWN
PRECIPITATION TYPE, BUT RECENT GUIDANCE SUGGEST A BETTER CHANCE
FOR SNOW FOR KGEG/KSFF/KCOE. FURTHER SOUTH AT KPUW A RAIN/SNOW
MIX, OR A CHANGE TO SNOW IS EXPECTED WHILE KLWS REMAINS RAIN.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
FOR STRONG WINDS TO DECREASE THIS MORING. LOW CONFIDENCE WITH
PRECIPITATION TYPE AFTER 03Z FRIDAY FOR KGEG/KSFF/KCOE/KPUW. JW
-----------------------
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 40 32 43 32 43 24 / 30 70 70 70 40 0
COEUR D'ALENE 40 32 41 30 42 22 / 50 80 80 80 70 10
PULLMAN 40 32 36 33 40 24 / 80 100 100 90 80 20
LEWISTON 47 39 47 38 48 30 / 90 100 100 100 80 20
COLVILLE 44 29 45 26 45 22 / 30 40 50 40 30 0
SANDPOINT 39 30 40 29 41 21 / 60 80 80 70 80 20
KELLOGG 41 32 38 33 37 19 / 80 100 100 90 90 30
MOSES LAKE 51 34 49 31 49 29 / 20 40 50 50 10 0
WENATCHEE 45 33 46 30 44 29 / 50 60 60 40 10 0
OMAK 48 30 47 27 47 27 / 30 30 30 30 10 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING 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.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT
FRIDAY FOR WASHINGTON PALOUSE.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING FOR WESTERN
OKANOGAN COUNTY.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 11 AM
PDT FRIDAY FOR CENTRAL CHELAN COUNTY.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 5 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 5 AM PDT
SATURDAY FOR WESTERN CHELAN COUNTY.
ID...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING FOR CENTRAL
PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS- COEUR D'ALENE AREA-IDAHO PALOUSE-
NORTHERN PANHANDLE.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM PDT
FRIDAY FOR IDAHO PALOUSE.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 11 AM PDT SATURDAY FOR CENTRAL
PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING FOR LEWIS AND
SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES-LEWISTON AREA.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PDT
FRIDAY FOR LEWIS AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES.
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