244  
FXUS66 KMFR 180505  
AFDMFR  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR  
1005 PM PDT THU SEP 17 2026  
   
..UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 06Z TAFS  
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
* SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN TODAY. MAIN RISK IS LIGHTNING,  
BUT ALSO GUSTY ERRATIC OUTFLOW WINDS (40-45 MPH), ESPECIALLY  
CASCADES EASTWARD THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES  
REMAINING BELOW NORMAL.  
 
* TEMPERATURES WARM FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND GETTING BACK ABOVE  
NORMAL SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.  
 
* SIGNAL FOR DRY WEATHER AND SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES CONTINUES  
FOR NEXT WEEK.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING THIS AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER  
LEVEL LOW REMAINS CENTERED OVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. SHOWERS  
SHOULD BE ON THE DECREASE TONIGHT AS THE PROBABILITY OF  
PRECIPITATION LOWERS OVERNIGHT. WE'LL SEE THIS UPPER LEVEL LOW  
MOVE EASTWARDS INTO THE DAY ON FRIDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE STARTING  
TO BUILD DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE ON THE  
INCREASE WITH HIGHS CLOSER TO THE NORMALS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.  
 
THIS 500 MB RIDGE BEGINS TO BUILD INTO THE WEEKEND AND SEEMS TO  
PEAK AROUND SUNDAY AS HIGHS WEST OF THE CASCADES PEAK HERE IN  
MEDFORD. WE'RE FORECASTING A HIGH OF 93 HERE IN MEDFORD WITH  
UPPER 70'S EAST OF THE CASCADES AND LOWER 80'S IN NORTHERN  
CALIFORNIA. OVERALL, THIS WEEKEND WILL BE FAIRLY QUIET WEATHER  
WISE WITH SOME TEMPERATURES LINGERING ABOVE NORMAL.  
 
IT'S LOOKING LIKE ZONAL FLOW FOR MOST OF NEXT WEEK. MODELS SHOW  
FLATTENING 500 MB HEIGHTS EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH AN UPPER LEVEL LOW  
MOVING INTO CALIFORNIA. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY REMAIN DRY EARLY  
NEXT WEEK. THE NBM HAS 1-5% CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WEST OF THE  
CASCADES FROM AROUND TUESDAY TO THURSDAY. A FEW ECMWF ENSEMBLE  
MEMBERS APPEAR TO BE PULLING IN A COLD FRONT WITH SOME MOISTURE IN  
AROUND THAT TIME MID WEEK.  
 
NOTHING STANDS OUT WEATHER WISE FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK AS WE'LL SEE  
PRETTY TYPICAL LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL CONDITIONS. THE EXTREME  
FORECAST INDEX ISN'T SHOWING ANYTHING THAT IS EXTREME FOR EARLY  
FALL AS WELL. THE ONLY THINGS WORTH MENTIONING AT THIS POINT IS  
THE FORECAST IS LOOKING WETTER TOWARDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER  
AROUND NEXT FRIDAY INTO NEXT WEEKEND. MORE ENSEMBLE FORECAST  
MEMBERS ARE STARTING TO BRING PRECIPITATION INTO THE PACIFIC  
NORTHWEST. STILL DISAGREEMENT ON TIMING AND LOCATION, ALTHOUGH THE  
GENERAL THEME IS MORE PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE ON THE WAY.  
 
-SMITH  
 
 
   
AVIATION...18/06Z TAFS  
MVFR TO IFR LEVELS CONTINUE ALONG THE  
OREGON COAST UNDER MARINE STRATUS. LIFR LEVELS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY  
FRIDAY MORNING, WITH LEVELS RISING THROUGH THE DAY, BECOMING MAINLY  
MVFR BY EARLY AFTERNOON. IFR RETURNS ALONG THE COAST FRIDAY EVENING.  
 
INLAND TERMINALS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY VFR LEVELS THROUGH THE  
TAF PERIOD EXCEPT FOR AREAS OF IFR/MFR IN THE UMPQUA EARLY FRIDAY  
MORNING, LIFTING TO VFR AROUND 18Z.  
 
 
   
MARINE...UPDATED 200 PM PDT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2026  
 
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO EASE INTO FRIDAY. NORTH WINDS INCREASE  
AGAIN SATURDAY WITH STEEP SEAS LIKELY SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE  
WEEKEND, ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF CAPE BLANCO. NORTH WINDS AND WIND  
DRIVEN SEAS ARE LIKELY TO BUILD TO A PEAK MONDAY, AND REMAIN NEAR  
THAT LEVEL ON TUESDAY, WITH GALES POSSIBLE SOUTH OF CAPE BLANCO.  
 
 
   
MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
OR...NONE.  
 
CA...NONE.  
 
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
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