332
FXUS66 KOTX 302253
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
353 PM PDT FRI MAY 30 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- MINOR HEATRISK FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
- STRONG WINDS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL RESULT IN AN
ELEVATED RISK FOR RAPID FIRE SPREAD ALONG WITH ISOLATED POWER
OUTAGES AND HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL
WASHINGTON.
- ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER RISK SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
SYNOPSIS
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WILL BE WARM ACROSS THE INLAND NORTHWEST.
STRONG WINDS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH A DRY COLD
WILL RESULT IN ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES
WILL REMAIN NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE FOR SUNDAY THROUGH
THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
TODAY AND TOMORROW: HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALLOWING FOR WARM AND DRY
CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WINDS AHEAD OF THE DRY COLD FRONT PASSAGE
EXPECTED SATURDAY EVENING. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL PEAK IN THE 70S
AND 80S AND WILL PEAK IN THE 80S AND 90S TOMORROW. THE FRONT PASSAGE
TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BRING STRONG WINDS AND HIGHER
HUMIDITIES THANKS TO LOWER TEMPERATURES. STILL LOOKING AT WIDESPREAD
WESTERLY WINDS 15-30 MPH GUSTING 30-50 MPH TOMORROW EVENING WITH
THIS FRONT PASSAGE. HAVE A WIND ADVISORY OUT IN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
WA AND THE L-C VALLEY FROM 4-11 PM TOMORROW. GUIDANCE IS IFFY FOR A
WIND ADVISORY FOR THE L-C VALLEY BUT IT HANDLED YESTERDAYS WINDS
POORLY (THEY WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN PROGGED WITH LEWISTON AP HITTING
43 MPH) AND WITH STRONGER PRESSURE GRADIENTS (3-5 MB MORE THAN
YESTERDAY) FOR SEA-EAT/PDX-GPI IN PLACE, AM FEELING CONFIDENT THAT
THE MODELS ARE UNDERDONE FOR THE L-C VALLEY. FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS
FALL JUST SHORT OF A RED FLAG WARNING (WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF
THE EARLIEST ON RECORD) FOR THE WESTERN COLUMBIA BASIN, WATERVILLE
PLATEAU, AND WENATCHEE AREA TOMORROW EVENING. WITH GUSTS IN THAT
AREA AROUND 40-50 MPH, WILDFIRES HAVE POTENTIAL STILL FOR RAPID
SPREAD FROM 4-11 PM TOMORROW. ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES, LIGHT OBJECTS
BLOWING AROUND, AND CHOPPY LAKE CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN
WITH THESE WINDS. PATCHY BLOWING DUST WILL ALSO BE A MINOR CONCERN
IN BETWEEN GEORGE AND RITZVILLE TOMORROW EVENING.
SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: THE POST FRONTAL AIRMASS SUNDAY WILL BE VERY
DRY WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE 20S AND 30S BUT MUCH COOLER IN THE 70S AND
LOW 80S. NORTH WINDS WILL BE BREEZY DOWN THE OKANOGAN VALLEY 10-15
MPH GUSTING UP TO 30 MPH. AN OFFSHORE RIDGE WILL STRENGTHEN INTO
MONDAY AND WAVER OFF THE COAST FOR DAYS. AN ACTIVE STORM TRACK IN
CANADA AND ALASKA WILL BRING PERIODIC EPISODES OF GUSTY WINDS AND
TEMPERATURES IN THE 70S AND 80S MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. THE BAD NEWS WITH
THIS PATTERN IS THERE IS LITTLE CHANCE FOR THE INW TO SEE RAINS
WHICH IS A CONCERNING TREND AS WE HEAD INTO JUNE. THE CENTRAL WA
EAST SLOPES 100 HOUR FUEL MOISTURES AND ENERGY RELEASE COMPONENTS
TODAY ARE SITTING AROUND TYPICAL VALUES FOR EARLY JULY AND WITH
LITTLE RELIEF IN SIGHT WILDFIRES COULD PERK UP RATHER QUICKLY FOR
JUNE. DB
AVIATION
00Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS WITH VARYING AMOUNTS OF HIGH LEVEL
CLOUDS. WESTERLY WINDS INCREASE AROUND 21-00Z STARTING IN
CENTRAL WA AND SPREAD EAST AS A DRY COLD FRONT PASSAGE OCCURS.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
IN VFR CONDITIONS.
-----------------------
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 54 87 49 74 48 74 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 53 87 50 72 46 73 / 0 0 0 0 0 10
PULLMAN 54 84 46 69 44 70 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWISTON 58 93 55 77 50 79 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 48 86 43 73 41 74 / 0 10 10 0 0 10
SANDPOINT 52 86 51 73 45 73 / 0 0 0 0 10 20
KELLOGG 58 87 50 68 47 69 / 0 0 0 0 0 30
MOSES LAKE 54 91 48 79 49 81 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 61 89 51 77 50 80 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 55 88 46 75 46 78 / 0 10 0 0 10 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 PM TO 11 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR LOWER
GARFIELD AND ASOTIN COUNTIES-MOSES LAKE AREA-WATERVILLE
PLATEAU-WENATCHEE AREA.
ID...WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 PM TO 11 PM PDT SATURDAY FOR LEWISTON
AREA.
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