873
FXUS66 KOTX 301128
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
328 AM PST FRI JAN 30 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- PERIODS OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS
WITH TEMPERATURES TRENDING WARMER.
- DRY AND QUIET WEATHER RETURNS NEXT WEEK.
SYNOPSIS
A MILDER AND WETTER PATTERN IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEK WITH
PERIODS OF LOWLAND RAIN AND HIGH MOUNTAIN SNOW. THE FORECAST
TRENDS DRIER BY EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
TODAY THROUGH MONDAY: THE MILD WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES AS AN
UPPER TROUGH IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC RESULTS IN A SOUTHWEST FLOW
OVER THE INLAND NW. EMBEDDED MID LEVEL WAVES WILL TRACK INTO THE
REGION BRINGING PERIODS OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF RAIN
AND HIGH MOUNTAIN SNOW. THE FIRST WAVE TRACKS ACROSS THE INLAND NW
TODAY. WAVE NUMBER TWO CLIPS THE CASCADES ON SATURDAY. WAVE THREE
ARRIVES FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. WAVE FOUR ARRIVES
ON MONDAY. ALL OF THESE LOOK TO CARRY LOW IMPACT WEATHER DUE TO
THE HIGH SNOW LEVELS AND LIGHT INTENSITY OF THE PRECIPITATION.
BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS OUT OF THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST WILL KEEP AN
ABUNDANCE OF BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE IN PLACE ALONG THE EAST
SLOPES OF THE CASCADES INTO THE NORTHERN VALLEYS EACH DAY WITH
AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE UPPER 30S TO MID 40S. FOR THE COLUMBIA
BASIN INTO THE SPOKANE/COEUR D'ALENE AREA SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE
PALOUSE AND LC VALLEY MILDER TEMPERATURES WILL BE FOUND WITH HIGHS
IN THE MID 40S TO LOW 50S EACH DAY.
TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY: ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO SHOW A STRONG
UPPER RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE REGION. THIS WILL RESULT IN DRY AND
MILD TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 40S TO MID 50S REGIONWIDE.
THE RIDGE WILL ALLOW FOR AREAS OF FOG TO FORM DURING THE OVERNIGHT
AND MORNING HOURS OTHERWISE DRY AND QUIET WEATHER IS EXPECTED. JW
AVIATION
12Z TAFS: BANDS OF LIGHT RAIN WILL MOVE THROUGH THE INLAND NW
INTO FRIDAY. SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS WILL FOCUS
THE HIGHEST BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
CASCADES INTO NE WASHINGTON AND THE ID PANHANDLE WHERE MVFR
CONDITIONS WILL BE COMMON ALONG WITH LOCAL IFR CONDITIONS. FOR
THE SPOKANE/COEUR D'ALENE AREA THERE IS ENOUGH OF A SOUTHERLY
BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS THAT THE HREF IS LIMITING MVFR CONDITIONS
TO A BRIEF PERIOD BETWEEN 12Z-16Z WHEN A BAND OF LIGHT RAIN
PASSES. A SECOND BAND OF LIGHT RAIN TRACKS WEST TO EAST 20-02Z.
AS THIS BAND OF RAIN CLEARS, THERE IS MODERATE TO HIGH
CONFIDENCE FOR STRONG DRYING ALOFT WHICH HAS HISTORY OF
PRODUCING AREAS OF DENSE FOG WHERE STRATUS IS NOT PRESENT.
FOR GEG-SFF-COE, FAVORABLE WIND FLOW BEHIND THE BAND OF RAIN IS
SUPPORTIVE OF DEVELOP LOW STRATUS. FOR MWH/EAT, DENSE FOG IS A
CONCERN.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
HIGH CONFIDENCE IN PRECIPITATION TYPE BEING RAIN FOR THE TAF
SITES. HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT CONDITIONS REMAIN VFR FOR KPUW/KLWS.
VERY LOW CONFIDENCE FOR KEAT INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS CONDITIONS
CONTINUE TO BOUNCE AROUND MULTIPLE STRATUS LAYERS IN THE AREA.
LOW CONFIDENCE FOR EXACT TIMING AND DETAILS OF RESTRICTIONS
FOLLOWING THE NEXT BAND OF LIGHT RAIN.
-----------------------
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 47 33 45 33 45 33 / 50 30 10 0 20 10
COEUR D'ALENE 46 35 46 34 46 35 / 70 50 10 0 20 30
PULLMAN 47 37 50 37 48 35 / 30 20 10 0 10 20
LEWISTON 52 39 53 37 53 37 / 10 10 0 0 0 10
COLVILLE 42 32 42 32 44 33 / 90 30 10 0 30 20
SANDPOINT 41 35 43 34 43 36 / 90 60 10 10 30 40
KELLOGG 46 39 48 38 49 38 / 70 60 20 0 20 40
MOSES LAKE 45 33 48 33 45 33 / 30 10 10 0 10 0
WENATCHEE 42 35 42 36 45 36 / 50 10 10 0 20 10
OMAK 41 34 42 36 44 36 / 40 10 0 0 10 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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