657
FXUS66 KOTX 051148
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
348 AM PST THU MAR 5 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- ACTIVE WEATHER THIS WEEK WITH MOUNTAIN SNOW, MOSTLY LOWLAND
RAIN, AND BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS. SOME SNOW MAY MIX INTO
THE LOWLANDS AT TIMES.
SYNOPSIS
MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORK
WEEK. THIS WILL BRING PERIODS OF WINTER TRAVEL CONDITIONS OVER
THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. A STRONGER SYSTEM SUNDAY INTO MONDAY WILL
BRING A RISK OF BREEZY WEST WINDS. NEXT WEEK IS BEING MONITORED
FOR THE RETURN OF MODERATE, PERHAPS HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW AND
WINDY CONDITIONS.
DISCUSSION
TODAY: THE INLAND NORTHWEST IS ON THE BACKSIDE OF YESTERDAYS
SYSTEM. A RIDGE WILL BE DEVELOPING IN THE REGION BEING SUPPORTED
BY A STRENGTHENING HIGH IN THE PACIFIC. MOST OF THE REGION WILL
SEE A DRYING TREND. MOUNTAIN SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE WITH
STEVENS ADDING 4-6 INCHES AND LOOKOUT GETTING 2-4 INCHES THROUGH
THE DAY. WINDS WILL BE BREEZY WITH AFTERNOON GUSTS REACHING
NEAR 30 MPH ACROSS THE BASIN. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SPRING LIKE.
HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 50S AND UPPER 40S. LOWS WILL BE IN THE 30S
AND UPPER 20S.
FRIDAY AND SUNDAY: A STRENGTHENING HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE
PACIFIC WILL BEGIN TO BUILD A RIDGE PATTERN OVER THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST. IT WILL DIMINISH THE PRECIP THREAT FOR THE BASIN AND
VALLEYS. LIGHT MOUNTAIN SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE BUT IMPACTS WILL
BE LOW IF ANY THROUGH SUNDAY. HIGHS WILL CLIMB BACK INTO THE
50S AND LOW 60S. LOWS WILL BE IN THE 40S UPPER 30S.
LATE SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY: PATTERN CHANGE IS EXPECTED LATE
SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. ENSEMBLES ARE SHOWING THE POLAR JET DIGGING
SOUTH OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. IT WILL BRING DECENT SNOW
AMOUNTS TO THE CASCADES. MODELS HAVE INCREASED POTENTIAL SNOW
AMOUNT FOR THE EVENT. NBM HAS 25-75 PROBABILITY OF 7-15 INCHES
FOR MONDAY AND 8-14 INCHES ON TUESDAY FOR STEVENS PASS. LOOKOUT
HAS 1-4 INCHES ON MONDAY AND 1-4 INCHES ON TUESDAY. WINDS WILL
BE GUSTY ACROSS THE REGION WITH GUSTS 30-40 MPH ACROSS THE
BASIN. THERE ARE SOME HINTS OF LOCALIZED POCKETS OF 50 MPH
GUSTS OVER THE CENTRAL BASIN. HIGHS WILL BE DIP INTO THE 40S.
LOWS WILL BE IN THE 20S AND LOW 30S. /JDC
AVIATION
12Z TAFS: THE REGION REMAINS ON A BACKSIDE OF A FRONT IN AN
UNSTABLE NORTHWEST FLOW. ANOTHER IMPULSE RIDES BY TODAY. LOOK
FOR MVFR/LCL IFR CONDITIONS NEAR EASTERN WA/ID, INCLUDING
COE/PUW/SFF, POSSIBLY EXPANDING INTO GEG THIS MORNING.
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE SOME THIS AFTERNOON. A CHANCE
FOR SHOWERS (RAIN AND SNOW) WILL DEVELOP LATER MORNING THROUGH
AFTERNOON WITH THE PASSING IMPULSE. LOOK FOR BREEZY CONDITIONS
AS WELL. THE SHOWERS AND WINDS SUBSIDE TONIGHT AND ADDITIONAL
STRATUS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG WITH SOME FOG. BETTER
CHANCES WILL BE AROUND THE SHELTERED VALLEYS THAN TAF SITES, BUT
A RISK IS THERE. EAT/MWH/LWS WILL REMAIN MOSTLY VFR. SOME LLWS
IS FORECAST NEAR MWH/EAT.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: MODERATE TO HIGH
CONFIDENCE IN CONTINUED VFR/MVFR CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL TAF
SITES. MODERATE CONFIDENCE ON WIND SHEAR FOR KMWH. LOW TO
MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN PRECIPITATION TYPE BEING A MIX OF
RAIN/SNOW FOR KPUW. SOME LOWER CEILINGS OR VISIBILITIES IS
POSSIBLE AT LWS THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON, BUT CONFIDENCE IS
LOW.
-----------------------
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 50 32 47 39 54 42 / 10 10 20 30 10 10
COEUR D'ALENE 48 32 45 37 51 41 / 40 20 30 50 40 20
PULLMAN 44 32 44 37 53 41 / 50 20 40 40 30 10
LEWISTON 51 35 50 41 59 43 / 40 10 20 30 10 0
COLVILLE 52 30 50 34 54 38 / 10 10 10 30 20 10
SANDPOINT 46 32 43 36 46 40 / 50 20 40 60 60 30
KELLOGG 42 32 40 38 47 41 / 70 40 70 70 80 40
MOSES LAKE 55 34 57 40 61 42 / 0 10 10 20 0 0
WENATCHEE 51 37 56 43 59 44 / 0 10 10 20 0 0
OMAK 54 34 52 39 56 41 / 0 10 0 20 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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