063
FXUS66 KOTX 091126
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
426 AM PDT THU OCT 9 2025
KEY MESSAGES
- DRY THROUGH THURSDAY.
- BREEZY ACROSS COLUMBIA BASIN AND UP OKANOGAN VALLEY FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY.
- UNSETTLED WEATHER FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH REGIONWIDE
CHANCES FOR PRECIP AND POTENTIAL FOR LIGHT MOUNTAIN PASS SNOW.
SNOW LEVELS FALLING TO NEAR 4000 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT ONWARD.
- COOLER TEMPERATURES SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT WEEK WITH HIGHS IN
THE 50S AND LOWS IN THE 20S AND 30S.
SYNOPSIS
DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THURSDAY. CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP
CHANCES EXPAND ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY. THE WEEKEND BRINGS
UNSETTLED WEATHER AND CONTINUED PRECIPITATION INCLUDING SNOW IN
THE MOUNTAINS.
DISCUSSION
THURSDAY: FAIRLY QUIET WEATHER CONTINUES AS A CLOSED LOW SETTLES IN
OFF THE OREGON COAST SPINNING WEAK WAVES OF MOISTURE UP THROUGH THE
NORTHWEST. MOST OF THE PRECIP FROM THESE WAVES WILL STAY WEST OF THE
CASCADES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LIGHT RAIN OVER THE CASCADE
CREST, EAST SLOPES, AND OKANOGAN FOOTHILLS. CLOUD COVER AND
PRECIP WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES ON THE COOLER SIDE IN THE 60S FOR
THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS, BUT FOR THE REST OF THE REGION FURTHER
EAST, AFTERNOON HIGHS THURSDAY WILL RISE INTO THE MID TO UPPER
70S MAKING IT THE WARMEST DAY OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. SMOKE AND
HAZE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE WENATCHEE AREA FROM THE LOWER
SUGARLOAF AND LABOR MOUNTAIN FIRES.
FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY: CLOUD COVER AND CHANCES FOR PRECIP EXPAND
EASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION ON FRIDAY AS THE OFFSHORE LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM BEGINS TRACKING INLAND. AFTERNOON HIGHS FRIDAY WILL BE A FEW
DEGREES COOLER THAN ON THURSDAY IN THE LOW 70S WITH THE ARRIVAL OF
THE LOW. A PUSH OF NORTHERLY AIR DROPPING DOWN FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA
IS IN THE FORECAST FOR SATURDAY, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL COOLING
AND LOWERING OF SNOW LEVELS ACROSS THE REGION. FOR THE CASCADES,
OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS, AND NORTH ID, SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL NEAR 4000
FEET SATURDAY NIGHT ONWARD. ELEVATIONS ABOVE 4000 FEET CAN EXPECT A
MIX OF SNOW AND RAIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE
GROUND IS STILL WARM THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON, SO THAT WILL HELP TO
LIMIT SURFACE ACCUMULATION, THOUGH MOUNTAIN PASS TRAVELERS SHOULD
STILL CHECK PASS REPORTS FOR THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS PRIOR TO
TRAVELING. AFTERNOON HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 50S SATURDAY ONWARD AND
OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. TOTAL RAIN
AMOUNTS FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY RANGE FROM 0.10-0.20 INCHES ACROSS THE
CENTRAL COLUMBIA BASIN (MOSES LAKE, RITZVILLE), 0.20-0.50 INCHES FOR
MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS ACROSS NORTHERN AND FAR EASTERN WA (OKANOGAN
VALLEY, COLVILLE, DEER PARK, PULLMAN), AND 0.50-1.00+ INCHES ACROSS
THE ID PANHANDLE, CASCADE CREST, AND NORTHERN WA HIGHLANDS. IN
ADDITION TO COOLER TEMPERATURES AND PRECIP CHANCES, BREEZY
SOUTH/SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ACROSS
THE COLUMBIA BASIN AND UP THE OKANOGAN VALLEY WITH SUSTAINED SPEEDS
OF 15-20 MPH AND GUSTS OF 25-30 MPH.
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY: BY TUESDAY, THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE SHIFTS
SOUTH AND WEAKENS, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A DRYING TREND. COOL
TEMPERATURES LOOK TO STICK AROUND WITH HIGHS STAYING IN THE 50S AND
LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S AND 30S. /RF
AVIATION
12Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS AT MOST TAF SITES THROUGH THE FORECAST
PERIOD. KEAT IS AT VFR RIGHT NOW BUT MODELS ARE INDICATING THAT
SMOKE AND HAZE MAY BRING CONDITIONS DOWN TO MVFR PERIODICALLY
AROUND 05Z. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS 10-15KTS FOR
KGEG/KSFF/KCOE BEGINNING AROUND 15-17Z AND LASTING THROUGH
22-00Z.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
IN VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION FOR ALL TAF SITES BUT KEAT
WHERE ACTIVE FIRES COULD RESULT IN MVFR CONDITIONS AROUND 05Z.
MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN TIMING FOR SMOKE AND HAZE AT KEAT. MODERATE
CONFIDENCE IN GUSTS UP TO 15KTS FROM 15-20/22Z.
-----------------------
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:/WEATHER.GOV/OTX/AVNDASHBOARD
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
SPOKANE 80 48 72 42 57 39 / 0 0 30 30 40 70
COEUR D'ALENE 77 49 73 44 55 39 / 0 0 30 50 50 90
PULLMAN 76 49 72 40 54 37 / 0 10 30 40 60 80
LEWISTON 80 52 76 49 61 45 / 0 10 20 40 50 80
COLVILLE 78 37 72 33 59 29 / 0 0 40 30 60 70
SANDPOINT 73 52 71 44 52 40 / 0 0 30 60 60 90
KELLOGG 77 53 75 45 53 39 / 0 0 30 60 70 100
MOSES LAKE 75 47 72 41 62 39 / 10 10 30 10 30 30
WENATCHEE 74 54 70 45 61 42 / 20 10 40 20 30 40
OMAK 76 53 71 42 56 39 / 10 0 40 20 30 50
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL 11 AM PDT FRIDAY FOR CENTRAL CHELAN
COUNTY-OKANOGAN VALLEY-WATERVILLE PLATEAU-WENATCHEE AREA-
WESTERN CHELAN COUNTY.
ID...NONE.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page