928  
FXUS66 KMFR 311106  
AFDMFR  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR  
406 AM PDT SUN AUG 31 2025  
   
UPDATE  
UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION.  
 
 
   
AVIATION...31/23Z TAFS  
LIFR IS PRESENT ALONG THE COAST IN LOW  
STRATUS AND FOG. THESE CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THIS MORNING,  
GRADUALLY LIFTING AND CLEARING IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER,  
AREAS OF IFR/MVFR MAY PERSIST ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. THEN,  
IFR/LIFR WILL RETURN IN THE EARLY EVENING.  
 
INLAND, CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN VFR THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. THE ONLY  
EXCEPTION MAY BE AREAS OF MVFR VISIBILITIES DUE TO WILDFIRE SMOKE,  
WHICH MAY AFFECT KLAMATH COUNTY (MAINLY NORTH OF KLAMATH FALLS) AND  
WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY AT TIMES.  
 
 
   
PREV DISCUSSION  
/ISSUED 249 AM PDT SUN AUG 31 2025/  
 
DISCUSSION...AN UPPER LOW HAS MOVED NORTHWARD AND IS LOCATED OFF  
THE WASHINGTON COAST NEAR 47N 129W. MEANWHILE OVER INLAND AREAS,  
AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE IS PRESENT, CENTERED JUST EAST OF THE AREA.  
THIS IS BRINGING CONTINUED WARM AND DRY WEATHER TO THE AREA TODAY.  
TEMPERATURES WILL BE SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY. BREEZY AFTERNOON AND  
EARLY EVENING WINDS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN TODAY. THIS PATTERN  
CONTINUES ON MONDAY AS THE UPPER LOW GRADUALLY SHIFTS FURTHER  
NORTH AND THE RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE. TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO  
BE SIMILAR OR SLIGHTLY WARMER ON MONDAY.  
 
SMOKE FROM AREA WILDFIRES WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE REGION,  
ESPECIALLY ACROSS WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY AND INTO KLAMATH AND  
NORTHERN LAKE COUNTIES. WITH SOUTHWEST TO SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT,  
THE BULK OF THE SMOKE IMPACTS FROM THE EMIGRANT FIRE SHOULD REMAIN  
NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE HRRR SMOKE MODEL CONTINUES TO  
INDICATE A PATTERN OF HIGHER SMOKE CONCENTRATIONS MOVING INTO  
KLAMATH COUNTY AND NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY IN THE EVENING AND  
OVERNIGHT AS NORTHERLY WINDS BRING SMOKE FROM THE EMIGRANT FIRE.  
THIS IS FOLLOWED BY IMPROVEMENT IN THE AFTERNOONS AS SOUTHWEST  
WINDS INCREASE EAST OF THE CASCADES AND HELP TO CLEAR OUT THE AIR.  
THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY HAS ISSUED A AIR  
QUALITY ALERT FOR KLAMATH COUNTY THAT IS IN EFFECT THROUGH AT  
LEAST TUESDAY MORNING. MEANWHILE, SMOKE IMPACTS FROM THE DILLON  
FIRE IN WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO BRING IMPACTS  
ACROSS WESTERN SISKIYOU COUNTY, WITH HIGHER SMOKE CONCENTRATIONS  
SETTLING IN THE SCOTT/SHASTA/KLAMATH RIVER VALLEYS IN THE EVENING  
AND OVERNIGHT, THEN IMPROVING IN THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY  
AFTERNOON. THE HRRR MODELS ALSO INDICATES THAT SMOKE WILL FILTER  
INTO CENTRAL SISKIYOU COUNTY, INCLUDING THE SHASTA VALLEY. IN THE  
ROGUE VALLEY, LESS BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED. THE  
HRRR MODEL SHOWS SMOKE FROM THE DILLON FIRE DRIFTING INTO THE  
ILLINOIS/APPLEGATE VALLEYS, THEN BEING CARRIED EASTWARD INTO THE  
ROGUE VALLEY IN THE AFTERNOONS, BEFORE SHIFTING EAST IN THE EARLY  
EVENING. EXPECT PERIODS OF HAZY CONDITIONS AND DEGRADED AIR  
QUALITY FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.  
 
THE PATTERN CHANGES HEADING INTO TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH A  
STRENGTHENING UPPER LEVEL RIDGE, RESULTING IN HOTTER  
TEMPERATURES, AND AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING INTO THE AREA  
FROM THE SOUTH. MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE SUFFICIENT MID LEVEL  
MOISTURE AND WEAK INSTABILITY ON TUESDAY TO ALLOW FOR A SLIGHT  
CHANCE (15-20%) OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND  
FROM THE CASCADES EAST. WEST OF THE CASCADES IN JOSEPHINE AND  
JACKSON COUNTIES, THE POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS IS LOWER  
(5-10%). THERE IS A LOW CHANCE (5-15%) FOR SOME ISOLATED OVERNIGHT  
THUNDERSTORMS OR SHOWERS TUESDAY NIGHT, MAINLY EAST OF THE  
CASCADES. THE SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTS ON  
WEDNESDAY FOR THESE SAME AREAS AS THE DISTURBANCE TRACKS NORTHWARD  
OVER THE AREA. THE EXACT TIMING AND LOCATION FOR THUNDERSTORMS  
WILL BE DEPENDENT OF THE TRACK AND STRENGTH OF THIS DISTURBANCE.  
ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO SHOW VARIABILITY ON THIS FEATURE, SO  
CONFIDENCE IS LOW THE DETAILS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND  
UPDATE AS NEEDED. FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE UPCOMING HEAT AND  
THUNDERSTORMS, PLEASE SEE THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION BELOW.  
 
MARINE...UPDATED 200 AM PDT SUNDAY, AUGUST 31, 2025...A WEAK  
THERMAL TROUGH DEVELOPS ALONG THE COAST TODAY, BRINGING NORTHERLY  
WINDS. NORTH WINDS INCREASE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY, RESULTING IN LOW  
END ADVISORY LEVEL STEEP SEAS SOUTH OF CAPE BLANCO. THESE  
CONDITIONS MAY PERSIST THROUGH MID-WEEK, WITH WINDS EASING BELOW  
ADVISORY LEVELS FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK.  
 
FIRE WEATHER...UPDATED 200 AM PDT SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 2025...THE  
AREA WILL REMAIN UNDER SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY AND MONDAY WITH AN  
UPPER LOW OFF THE WASHINGTON COAST AND A UPPER LEVEL RIDGE  
CENTERED INLAND OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL BRING A WARM AND DRY  
PATTERN TO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL TREND SLIGHTER HOTTER GOING  
INTO MONDAY. BREEZY TO GUSTY WINDS AND DRY HUMIDITIES ARE  
EXPECTED ACROSS INLAND VALLEYS THROUGH MONDAY. OVERALL, WINDS AND  
HUMIDITIES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH CRITICAL CONDITIONS.  
HOWEVER, SOME LOCALLY, BRIEF NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE  
IN THE LATE AFTERNOONS, MAINLY IN THE SHASTA VALLEY AND EAST OF  
THE CASCADES. SO, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO HEADLINED THE GUSTY WINDS  
AND DRY HUMIDITIES.  
 
THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN ON TUESDAY AND  
WEDNESDAY WITH HOTTER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. ADDITIONALLY, THERE  
IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS (15-20%) ACROSS NORTHERN  
CALIFORNIA AND FORM THE CASCADES EAST AS AN UPPER LEVEL  
DISTURBANCES MOVES UP FROM THE SOUTH AND INTO THE AREA.  
 
TUESDAY THE POSITION OF THE UPPER LOW IS SUCH THAT IT COULD  
RESULT IN AT LEAST ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN  
CALIFORNIA, AND CASCADES EAST. CONDITIONS COULD BE FAVORABLE FOR  
NOCTURNAL STORMS TUESDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER, THERE IS MORE EVIDENCE  
THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT STORMS TUESDAY NIGHT. WE'LL CONTINUE TO  
MONITOR THIS.  
 
WEDNESDAY, THE OPERATIONAL MODELS DIFFER WITH THE PROGRESSION OF THE  
UPPER LOW. THE ECMWF HAS THE LOW POSITIONED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA  
AS IT BECOMES CUT OFF FROM THE MAIN FLOW. THE GFS ALSO HINTS AT THE  
LOW BECOMING CUT OFF FROM THE MAIN FLOW, BUT PROGRESSES THE UPPER  
LOW THROUGH OUR AREA BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WHICH WOULD PUT THE BEST  
CHANCE FOR STORMS NORTH OF OUR FORECAST AREA. IN CONTRAST THE ECMWF  
SOLUTION WOULD AT LEAST MAINTAIN THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS  
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GUT FEELING IS THE SLOWER  
PROGRESSION OF THE LOW MAKES MORE SENSE GIVEN BOTH MODELS SHOW THE  
UPPER LOW BECOMING CUT OFF.  
 
IF THE UPPER LOW DOES END UP PROGRESSING SLOWER, THEN WE COULD BE  
DEALING WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR NOCTURNAL STORMS WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BUT  
MUCH WILL DEPEND ON THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF THE UPPER LOW. IF  
NOTHING ELSE, ANOTHER THING WE MAY HAVE TO CONSIDER, BUT THERE'S  
STILL PLENTY OF TIME TO ADDRESS THIS.  
 
ISOLATED STORMS COULD STILL BE A PART OF THE EQUATION THURSDAY  
AFTERNOON AND EVENING, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOTHING IN THE FORECAST  
AND MUCH WILL DEPEND ON THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LOW.  
 
IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING, THE UPPER RIDGE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE TUESDAY  
AND WEDNESDAY WITH AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES AROUND THE TRIPLE DIGIT  
MARK FOR THE INTERIOR WESTSIDE VALLEYS, AND UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S  
EAST OF THE CASCADES.  
 
PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1027 PM PDT SAT AUG 30 2025/  
 
DISCUSSION...TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WILL BE THE TIME PERIOD  
WORTH WATCHING FOR TWO REASONS: THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL AND HEAT.  
FIRST, THE THUNDERSTORMS...MODELS REMAIN CONSISTENT IN SHOWING A  
WEAK LOW THAT TAKES ON A NEGATIVE TILT AS IT MOVES NORTHWARD  
THROUGH THE REGION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, BRINGING INCREASING  
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY. WE'VE VENTURED AWAY FROM THE NBM TO ADD  
A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY  
AFTERNOONS/EVENINGS, FOCUSED IN THE TYPICAL AREAS ALONG AND EAST  
OF THE CASCADES AS WELL AS FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN SISKIYOU  
COUNTY. THERE IS SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER STORMS DEVELOP WEST  
OF THE CASCADES ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. GUIDANCE THE POTENTIAL  
FOR STORMS AS FAR WEST AS THE ILLINOIS VALLEY, BUT NOT SO MUCH  
NORTH OF THE ROGUE-UMPQUA DIVIDE. THIS IS STILL 4-5 DAYS OUT, SO  
DETAILS ARE LIKELY TO CHANGE ONCE THIS TIME FRAME IS COVERED BY  
THE MODELS THAT HELP US HONE IN ON TIMING AND LOCATION.  
 
MEANWHILE, THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AMPLIFIES OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN  
WEST AS ENERGY DIVES SOUTHWARD INTO THE MID-WEST. AS THIS RIDGE  
AMPLIFIES, THE LOW PRESSURE OFFSHORE THIS WEEKEND, GETS PUSHED  
NORTHWESTWARD (RETROGRADES) INTO THE GULF OF ALASKA. WE'LL SEE A  
WARMING TREND BEGINNING MONDAY, BUT MODELS SHOW THE RIDGE AXIS BEING  
CENTERED OVER THE WEST COAST STATES BY MID-WEEK, WHICH WILL RESULT  
IN ANOTHER WARM UP ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE TUESDAY-THURSDAY  
TIMEFRAME. UPPER 90S INTO THE TRIPLE DIGITS FOR THE WEST SIDE (LOW  
90S/UPPER 80S FOR EAST SIDE) IS EXPECTED FOR THIS WARM UP. WHILE IT  
SEEMS FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IT'LL BE HOT AGAIN FOR MID-WEEK NEXT WEEK,  
WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED LOW DRIFTING AROUND DURING THE SAME TIME,  
CLOUD COVER COULD END UP BEING A MITIGATING FACTOR IN THE EXTENT OF  
THE HEAT. ADDITIONALLY, SMOKE FROM AREA WILDFIRES COULD ALSO PLAY  
INTO HOW WARM TEMPERATURES GET. HEATRISK VALUES ARE INDICATING A  
MODERATE TO LOCALLY MAJOR RISK FOR HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES TUESDAY  
THROUGH THURSDAY, PRIMARILY FOR THE VALLEYS WEST OF THE CASCADES, SO  
WE'LL BE EVALUATING THE NEED FOR ANY HEAT RELATED HEADLINES OVER THE  
COMING SHIFTS. THE RIDGE STARTS TO BREAK DOWN AND SHIFT EASTWARD ON  
FRIDAY, SO TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO TREND COOLER BUT STILL  
REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL FOR EARLY SEPTEMBER.  
 
 
   
MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
OR...NONE.  
 
CA...NONE.  
 
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 11 AM MONDAY TO 5  
PM PDT TUESDAY FOR PZZ356-376.  
 
 
 
 
 
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