523
FXUS66 KOTX 270549
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
949 PM PST THU FEB 26 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS THROUGH FRIDAY.
- PERSISTENT LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS ON THE CASCADE PASSES THROUGH
FRIDAY AND AT TIMES OVER NORTH IDAHO.
- DRIER AND WARMER WEEKEND EXPECTED OVER THE REGION.
SYNOPSIS
BREEZY TO GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY. MUCH OF THE
REGION WILL DRY OUT THOUGH SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE
CASCADE CREST AND IDAHO PANHANDLE WITH WINTER TRAVEL CONDITIONS
AT TIMES. A DRIER AND WARMER WEEKEND IS EXPECTED FOR THE INLAND
NORTHWEST.
DISCUSSION
TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY: BREEZY SOUTHWEST WINDS CONTINUE TODAY FOR
THE INLAND NORTHWEST WITH PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AT THE
CASCADE CREST. SATELLITE IMAGERY REVEALS DISTINCT PARALLEL BANDS
OF CLOUDS IN THE CASCADES AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS, INDICATIVE OF
STRONG CROSS BARRIER FLOW INDUCING MOUNTAIN WAVES. STRONG WINDS
AROUND 60-80 MPH APPEAR TO REMAIN ELEVATED IN THE STABLE LAYER
AROUND 7000-10000 FEET, LIMITING HIGHER END GUST POTENTIAL FOR
VALLEY LOCATIONS. OVERALL, VALLEY LOCATIONS SHOULD EXPECT BREEZY
SOUTHWEST WINDS 15-25 MPH GUSTING AROUND 25-40 MPH. WINDS WILL
PEAK BETWEEN 2 PM AND 8 PM TODAY AS THE BACKGROUND PRESSURE
GRADIENT PEAKS WITH A 15-20 MB GRADIENT FROM THE LEE OF THE
CENTRAL WA CASCADES TO THE LEE OF THE SOUTHERN CANADIAN ROCKIES.
BREEZY SOUTHWEST WINDS OF A SIMILAR MAGNITUDE WILL BE PRESENT
WITH THE UPPER LEVEL JET TO THE NORTH WITH MOUNTAIN WAVE CLOUDS
MOSTLY NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER. MOUNTAIN WAVE ACTIVITY STARTS
TO DECREASE FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK SHIFTS
EAST INTO EASTERN MT.
SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: THE WEEKEND THROUGH TUESDAY WILL BE
DRY WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S AND 50S (NEAR NORMAL TO
ABOVE NORMAL) THANKS TO WEAK RIDGING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST
MOVING EASTWARD. BY TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY, ENSEMBLE
CLUSTERS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT OF A WEAK TROUGH SWINGING THROUGH
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. WITH SNOW LEVELS AROUND 3500-5000 FEET,
WINTRY IMPACTS WILL BE LIMITED TO THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. SNOW
AMOUNTS DO NOT LOOK PARTICULARLY HEAVY WITH THIS WEAK TROUGH
PASSAGE (FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON TO THURSDAY AFTERNOON: 55%
CHANCE OF 6+” AT STEVENS PASS, 20% CHANCE OF 6+” AT LOOKOUT
PASS). LOWLAND IMPACTS WILL BE MINIMAL WITH LIGHT BENEFICIAL
RAINS. /DB
AVIATION
06Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE
PERIOD. NIGHTTIME MICROPHYSICS SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS MOUNTAIN
WAVE CIRRUS CLOUDS ACROSS NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO.
MODELS DEPICT THESE CLOUDS TO GRADUALLY SHIFT SOUTHWARD
TONIGHT. WINDS ARE CURRENTLY 15 KNOTS OR LESS ACROSS THE INLAND
NORTHWEST AND ARE EXPECTED TO FURTHER DECREASE THROUGH THE
NIGHT. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME BREEZY OUT OF THE WEST TO
SOUTHWEST AGAIN LATE FRIDAY MORNING WITH GUSTS 20-30 KNOTS
THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: ACROSS FAR
EASTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO, ENSEMBLES ARE SHOWING A
10-20% CHANCE FOR CEILINGS BELOW 3000 FEET EARLY FRIDAY MORNING,
INCLUDING AT KGEG/KSFF/KCOE. GIVEN HOW DRY THE BOUNDARY LAYER
IS WITH ELEVATED WINDS OVERNIGHT, CONFIDENCE IN THIS OCCURRING
IS LOW AND DECIDED TO NOT INCLUDE IN THE TAFS.
-----------------------
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 33 47 29 47 27 50 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 33 46 29 47 27 50 / 10 10 0 0 0 0
PULLMAN 32 47 30 48 30 51 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWISTON 33 54 34 51 34 53 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 32 48 26 47 25 50 / 10 20 10 0 0 0
SANDPOINT 33 43 29 44 26 47 / 20 30 20 10 0 0
KELLOGG 33 43 29 47 28 50 / 10 10 10 10 0 0
MOSES LAKE 32 54 30 51 29 53 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 34 50 32 48 32 52 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 33 50 30 48 29 50 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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