423
FXUS66 KOTX 072241
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
241 PM PST WED JAN 7 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- MODERATE TO HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW CONTINUES THROUGH THURSDAY
WITH LIGHT TO LOCALLY MODERATE SNOW IN THE VALLEYS.
- GUSTY WINDS THROUGH THURSDAY.
- TURNING DRIER FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND.
- LIGHT RAIN AND HIGH MOUNTAIN SNOW RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK.
SYNOPSIS
MODERATE TO HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW, PERIODS OF LOWLAND SNOW, AND
GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY, THEN A PATTERN SHIFT
BRINGS DRIER CONDITIONS FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND. CHANCES FOR
RAIN AND HIGH MOUNTAIN SNOW RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY: OUR NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES IN
THIS EVENING BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF LOWLAND SNOW FOR THE
EASTERN THIRD OF WA AND THE ID PANHANDLE. CURRENT FORECAST
AMOUNTS RANGE FROM 1 TO 4 INCHES FOR LOWLAND AREAS WITH THE LOW
END OF THAT RANGE NEAR THE OKANOGAN VALLEY DOWN TO RITZVILLE AND
THE HIGH END FROM SANDPOINT DOWN TO DEARY. MOST LOWLAND SNOW
WILL FALL BETWEEN 4PM AND 10PM THIS EVENING, TAPERING OFF
BETWEEN 10PM TONIGHT AND 4AM THURSDAY. OVER THE CASCADES AND
NORTHERN ID MOUNTAINS, SNOW WILL LINGER A BIT LONGER INTO
THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL EXPECTED AT
TIMES. AROUND A FOOT OF SNOW IS EXPECTED TO FALL OVER THE
CASCADE CREST BETWEEN 4PM TODAY AND 4PM THURSDAY. FOR THE
NORTHERN ID MOUNTAINS INCLUDING LOOKOUT PASS, FORECAST SNOW
AMOUNTS ARE LOWER IN THE 5 TO 8 INCH RANGE. A WINTER STORM
WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CASCADES THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON AND A HANDFUL OF WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN
ISSUED FOR EASTERN WA AND THE ID PANHANDLE FOR THE SNOW EXPECTED
THIS EVENING.
SURFACE TEMPERATURES LOOK TO START OUT ABOVE FREEZING AT THE
ONSET OF THE SNOW THIS EVENING CAUSING SNOW TO MELT ON ROADWAYS
INITIALLY, BUT BY LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING SURFACE
TEMPERATURES WILL HAVE FALLEN BELOW FREEZING MAKING FOR A SLICK,
ICY SITUATION. BE SURE TO GIVE YOURSELF SOME EXTRA TIME TO GET
WHERE YOU NEED TO GO THURSDAY MORNING.
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: CONDITIONS WILL DRY OUT FRIDAY INTO THE
WEEKEND AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN OVER THE REGION,
GIVING US A BREAK FROM THE WINTRY WEATHER. TEMPERATURES WILL
STAY FAIRLY CONSISTENT NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS WITH HIGHS IN THE
MID 30S TO LOW 40S AND LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOW 30S. A SUBTLE
WARMING TREND WILL TAKE PLACE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH HIGHS
RISING INTO THE LOW TO UPPER 40S AND LOWS RANGING THROUGHOUT THE
30S.
SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY: CHANCES FOR RAIN AND HIGH MOUNTAIN
SNOW RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK AS A SHORTWAVE OVER BRITISH COLUMBIA
FLATTENS OUR RIDGE AND DIRECTS A PLUME OF MOISTURE AT US FROM
OFF THE PACIFIC. PWATS WILL INCREASE TO NEAR 200 PERCENT OF
NORMAL AND INCOMING WARMER AIR WILL SEND SNOW LEVELS UP TO 4K-6K
FEET BY MONDAY. /FEWKES
AVIATION
18Z TAFS: DRIER AIR MOVING IN BEHIND YESTERDAY'S SYSTEM HAS
IMPROVED ALL TAF SITES TO VFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES. VFR
CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH 00-04Z UNTIL THE NEXT FRONTAL
SYSTEM TRACKS THROUGH FROM WEST TO EAST, BRINGING A RETURN OF
PRECIP AND IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES. FOR MOST LOCATIONS,
PRECIP WILL BE IN THE FORM OF SNOW WITH LESS THAN AN INCH OF
ACCUMULATION. PRECIP WILL TAPER OFF BETWEEN 08-12Z. MODELS
INDICATE CHANCES FOR LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR BETWEEN 02-09Z OVER
KPUW AND KEAT AS WINDS PICK UP ALOFT.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
LOW CONFIDENCE FOR PRECIP AT KEAT AND KMWH DUE TO CASCADE RAIN
SHADOW. MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN IFR CONDITIONS IN THE EVENING FOR
KGEG, KSFF, KCOE, AND KPUW.
-----------------------
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 26 36 26 38 26 40 / 80 20 10 10 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 27 34 25 38 26 40 / 90 50 20 30 0 0
PULLMAN 28 34 30 40 28 39 / 80 40 30 30 0 0
LEWISTON 31 41 33 45 30 44 / 70 30 30 10 0 0
COLVILLE 27 34 22 34 26 35 / 80 20 0 10 0 0
SANDPOINT 27 31 22 33 26 37 / 90 60 20 40 10 0
KELLOGG 28 31 28 36 26 40 / 90 90 60 70 10 0
MOSES LAKE 26 43 29 43 27 41 / 30 10 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 28 39 31 42 29 39 / 20 10 0 0 0 0
OMAK 26 35 27 36 27 35 / 50 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THURSDAY FOR WESTERN
CHELAN COUNTY.
ID...NONE.
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