287
FXUS66 KOTX 230758
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
1258 AM PDT MON MAR 23 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- UNSETTLED WEATHER RETURNS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, BRINGING
VALLEY RAIN, MOUNTAIN RAIN AND SNOW, BREEZY TO WINDY
CONDITIONS
- FALLING RIVER LEVELS ON STEHEKIN, COEUR D'ALENE, AND ST JOE
RIVERS INTO MONDAY, AND THEN ANOTHER RISE FOR MID-WEEK
SYNOPSIS
DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY WITH COLDER NIGHT
TEMPERATURES. UNSETTLED WEATHER IS FORECAST TO RETURN TUESDAY
AND WEDNESDAY AS THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BRINGS VALLEY
RAIN, MOUNTAIN RAIN AND SNOW, AND BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS. A
RETURN TO WARM, DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY WEEKS END.
DISCUSSION
TODAY: THE INLAND NORTHWEST WILL BE ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE
FOUR CORNERS HIGH OVER SOUTHWEST US. IT IS BRINGING DRY, WARM
CONDITIONS THROUGH MONDAY. HIGH LEVEL STRATUS WILL PASS THROUGH
THE REGION. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE 50S AND LOW 60S. WITH CLEAR
SKIES, RADIATIONAL COOLING WILL BE OPTIMAL OVERNIGHT. AN
INCOMING SYSTEM WILL BRING INCREASING CLOUDS MONDAY NIGHT AND
KEEP LOWS IN THE 30S TO LOW 40S.
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY: A LOW IS CURRENTLY OFF OF CALIFORNIA
AROUND -135 DEGREE LONGITUDE. IT WILL PUSH A WARM FRONT INTO
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST ON TUESDAY FOLLOWED BY A QUICK COLD FRONT
ON WEDNESDAY. MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO
BE AROUND 200-250% OF NORMAL. NBM PROBABILITIES OF PRECIP
AMOUNTS ARE AROUND 50-80% FOR HALF AN INCH AND 30-50% FOR AN
INCH OVER THE IDAHO PANHANDLE. EXTREME EASTERN WASHINGTON IS
AROUND 20-40% PROBABILITY. THE CASCADE CREST HAS A 50%
PROBABILITY FOR ONE INCH. THE LOWLANDS ALONG THE CASCADES WILL
STRUGGLE TO REACH A QUARTER OF AN INCH. RISING SNOW LEVELS WILL
LIMIT THE SNOW AMOUNTS FOR MOUNTAIN PASSES. STEVENS COULD
RECEIVE 2 TO 7 INCHES THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE 10-90% PROBABILITY
FOR STEVENS PASS IS 1-12 INCHES. SHERMAN AND LOOKOUT WILL
STRUGGLE TO GET AN INCH. WINDS WILL ALSO BE BREEZY WITH THE
PASSING SYSTEM. CURRENT NBM HAS GUSTS 20-30 MPH. SOME ENSEMBLE
MEMBERS HAVE GUSTS REACHING NEAR 40 MPH ON WEDNESDAY. ENSEMBLES
ARE SHOWING WEAK INSTABILITY OVER NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND NORTH
IDAHO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A STRAY LIGHTNING STRIKE IS POSSIBLE
BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW.
THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: THE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD BACK INTO
THE REGION BEHIND THE EXITING SYSTEM. PRECIP CHANCES WILL BE
NEAR ZERO AFTER THURSDAY MORNING. HIGHS WILL BEGIN TO CLIMB INTO
THE UPPER 50S AND 60S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 20S
AND 30S. /JDC
AVIATION
06Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE FOR ALL TAF SITES THROUGH
00Z TUESDAY. CHANGES WILL ARRIVE AFTER 12Z TUESDAY AS A WET AND
BREEZY WEATHER SYSTEM PASSES THROUGH.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
HIGH CONFIDENCE IN VFR CONDITIONS FOR ALL TAF SITES THROUGH 00Z
TUESDAY. /JDC
-----------------------
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 58 42 53 40 50 29 / 0 10 90 80 20 20
COEUR D'ALENE 56 41 51 40 51 30 / 0 10 90 100 40 40
PULLMAN 57 43 56 41 48 30 / 0 10 90 90 60 40
LEWISTON 60 46 60 46 55 35 / 0 10 60 90 50 30
COLVILLE 59 39 51 37 52 28 / 0 10 100 80 30 20
SANDPOINT 54 39 47 40 49 31 / 0 10 100 100 60 50
KELLOGG 56 43 52 41 47 31 / 0 10 90 100 60 60
MOSES LAKE 61 44 59 40 55 31 / 0 10 80 30 10 10
WENATCHEE 59 44 56 38 51 32 / 0 10 80 30 20 10
OMAK 59 42 53 38 56 31 / 0 10 90 40 20 10
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
ID...NONE.
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