302
FXUS66 KOTX 042255
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
355 PM PDT SUN MAY 4 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- BREEZY NORTH WINDS DOWN THE OKANOGAN VALLEY AND WESTERN
COLUMBIA BASIN SUNDAY NIGHT.
- BREEZY NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ACROSS THE INLAND NORTHWEST
MONDAY.
- DRY WITH WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH MUCH OF THE
WEEK.
SYNOPSIS
DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. WINDS WILL
BE BREEZY OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL WASHINGTON SUNDAY AND EXPAND
INTO EASTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO ON MONDAY. TEMPERATURES
RETURN INTO THE 70S BY TUESDAY AND CONTINUE TO BE WARMER
THAN NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE WORK WEEK.
DISCUSSION
SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY: THE INLAND NORTHWEST IS
CURRENTLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A DRY, UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT
WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD THROUGH THE NIGHT AS AN UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE SHIFTS INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WINDS WILL BE
BREEZY FROM THE NORTH TO NORTHWEST THIS EVENING AND SHIFT TO THE
NORTH TO NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT IN RESPONSE. THE RIDGE WILL REMAIN
THE PRIMARY WEATHER INFLUENCE FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK AS
IT REMAINS SANDWICHED BETWEEN A CLOSED LOW IN THE SOUTHWEST
US/FOUR CORNERS REGION AND A CLOSED LOW IN THE GULF OF ALASKA.
ON MONDAY, WINDS WILL REMAIN FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST WITH
BREEZY CONDITIONS DOWN THE OKANOGAN VALLEY, COLUMBIA BASIN, AND
PURCELL TRENCH. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO MORE OF AN EASTERLY
DIRECTION ON TUESDAY WITH THE FOCUS FOR BREEZY CONDITIONS INTO
THE PALOUSE AND LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM
FROM THE 60S AND 70S ON MONDAY TO THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S ON
WEDNESDAY.
THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO FLATTEN LATE TUESDAY NIGHT
INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY AS THE CLOSED LOW OVER THE GULF OF ALASKA
MEANDERS EASTWARD AND SHORTWAVES ROTATE THROUGH THE SOUTHWEST
FLOW INTO THE PNW. DETERMINISTIC MODELS SHOW THE RIDGE
DEFLECTING THE SHORTWAVES AWAY FROM THE INLAND NORTHWEST UNTIL
EARLY THURSDAY WHEN A MOSTLY DRY COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. THIS
WILL BRING BREEZY WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AND A SMALL CHANCE FOR
PRECIPITATION. WHILE MOST ENSEMBLE MEMBERS KEEP THE INLAND
NORTHWEST DRY, THERE IS A 15 TO 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF 0.10 INCHES
ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO.
TEMPERATURES ON THURSDAY WILL BRIEFLY COOL BEHIND THIS FRONT
INTO THE 60S AND 70S. BY FRIDAY, MODELS ARE IN EXCELLENT
AGREEMENT FOR THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO REBUILD INTO THE
NORTHWEST WITH A RETURN OF WARM AND DRY CONDITIONS. DIFFERENCES
IN THE ENSEMBLE SUITE EMERGE ON HOW LONG IT REMAIN IN PLACE
THOUGH, WITH LOWER CONFIDENCE IN THE CURRENT FORECAST BEYOND
FRIDAY. /VMT
AVIATION
18Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE
PERIOD. WINDS WILL BE BREEZY INTO THE EVENING WITH THE
BREEZIEST SPOTS ACROSS CENTRAL WASHINGTON (KEAT,KOMK,KEPH,KMWH)
AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON (KPUW). LOW PRESSURE SAGGING SOUTHEAST
WILL GENERATE SOME LIGHT SHOWERS IN NORTHEAST WASHINGTON WITH AN
EXTENSIVE STRATO-CUMULUS CLOUD DECK BETWEEN 5-8 KFT MSL. IN
NORTHEAST WA AND NRN IDAHO THESE CLOUDS WILL OBSCURE HIGHER
TERRAIN THE EVENING BUT THIN OUT AS THE LOW MIGRATES OUT OF THE
AREA OVERNIGHT. BREEZY NORTH WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST
BETWEEN 10-15 KT EXTENDING FROM KMWH-KGEG-KSFF AND KCOE.
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 38 67 41 72 45 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 37 66 39 71 43 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
PULLMAN 34 64 40 69 43 74 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWISTON 41 71 44 76 48 82 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 32 68 35 74 39 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
SANDPOINT 38 66 38 72 42 74 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
KELLOGG 39 62 41 68 45 73 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
MOSES LAKE 39 73 41 77 45 83 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 42 72 47 76 51 80 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 38 73 43 76 46 79 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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