175
FXUS66 KOTX 160543
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
1043 PM PDT WED APR 15 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS IN IDAHO AND FAR EASTERN REACHES OF
WASHINGTON THURSDAY.
- MORNING LOWS NEAR TO BELOW FREEZING THROUGH FRIDAY.
- WARMING AND DRYING TREND FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
- INCREASING RAIN CHANCES EARLY NEXT WEEK.
SYNOPSIS
OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE COLD WITH NEAR TO BELOW FREEZING
TEMPERATURES. RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE IN IDAHO AND
FAR EASTERN WASHINGTON THURSDAY. WARMER AND DRIER CONDITIONS
RETURN FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. NEXT ROUND OF SHOWERS
EXPECTED EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY: THE REGION IS ON THE BACKSIDE OF AN
EXITING COLD FRONT. DRIER AIR IS MOVING INTO THE REGION DROPPING
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES TO UNDER A QUARTER OF AN INCH OR
50-60 PERCENT OF NORMAL. THE EARLIER AFTERNOON, EVENING
CONVECTION WILL DECREASE AS THE ATMOSPHERE STABILIZES DUE TO
RIDGE PATTERN BUILDING IN THE REGION. ENSEMBLES HAVE SHOWER
ACTIVITY CONTINUING OVER THE NORTHEAST WA AND NORTH ID THROUGH
THURSDAY. IT IS DUE TO WRAP AROUND MOISTURE FROM THE EXITING
LOW. RAIN AND RAIN/SNOW MIX ARE POSSIBLE WITH UP TO 30 PERCENT
CHANCE OF HALF AN INCH OF SNOW. IMPACTS WILL BE MINIMAL AS
SURFACE TEMPERATURES WILL LIMIT TO NO ACCUMULATIONS. WINDS WILL
WEAKEN OVERNIGHT BEFORE INCREASING ON THURSDAY. WIND GUSTS WILL
BE IN THE TEENS OVERNIGHT AND 20-30 MPH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE
LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE UPPER 20S AND 30S INTO THURSDAY
MORNING. PORTIONS OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN HAVE REACHED EARLY
GROWING SEASON. COLD SENSITIVE VEGETATION COULD BE IMPACTED. IF
WINDS REMAIN BREEZY, IT WILL LOWER THE POTENTIAL FOR
FROST/FREEZE IMPACTS. THURSDAY HIGHS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 40S TO
LOW 60S.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY: RIDGING PATTERN WILL BRING A DRY, WARMING
TREND FOR THE PERIOD. HIGHS WILL CLIMB BACK INTO THE 60S AND LOW
70S. ANY PRECIP CHANCES ARE LIMITED TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF
THE IDAHO PANHANDLE ALONG THE MONTANA BORDER. AMOUNTS ARE LESS
THAN A HUNDREDTH OF AN INCH. MORNING TEMPS WILL STILL BE IN THE
30S.
SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY: WEATHER PATTERN WILL CHANGE AS A GULF
OF ALASKA LOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION. IT IS STILL
TRACKING TO MOVE SOUTH ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST AND INTO NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA. THE TRACK KEEPS THE REGIONS WARM, DRY TREND THROUGH
MONDAY. SHOWER CHANCES INCREASE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THE
LOWS MOISTURE FINALLY MOVES INTO THE INLAND NORTHWEST. A FEW
ENSEMBLE MEMBERS HAVE THE TRACK MOVING THE LOW INTO OREGON AND
BRINGING THE SHOWERS EARLIER. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 60S AND
70S. LOWS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 30S AND 40S. /JDC
AVIATION
06Z TAFS: LOW PRESSURE SPINNING OVER THE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO
BRING SPOTTY SHOWERS TO NORTH IDAHO AND AT TIMES, FAR EASTERN WA
THROUGH THURSDAY. A MORE ORGANIZED BAND OF SHOWERS WILL TRACK
NORTH TO SOUTH 14-21Z FALLING AS SNOW FOR KGEG-KSFF-KCOE, MIX
FOR KPUW, AND RAIN FOR KLWS DUE TO THE LATER TIMING. PRIOR TO
THE ARRIVAL OF THIS WAVE, THERE IS A 60% CHANCE FOR MVFR CIGS TO
DEVELOP AROUND KCOE AND KPUW. WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY ON
THURSDAY WITH GUSTS AROUND 25KTS. THE SYSTEM WILL BEGIN TO EXIT
THURSDAY NIGHT WITH CLEARING SKIES, DECREASING WINDS, AND CHILLY
TEMPERATURES.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
MODERATE CONFIDENCE ON THE EARLY MORNING MVFR STRATUS. MODERATE
TO HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR AN ORGANIZED BAND OF SHOWERS BUT LOW IF
THIS WILL DRIVE VIS DOWN BELOW 5SM. HIGH CONFIDENCE FOR VFR
CONDITIONS TO RETURN THURSDAY EVENING AND NIGHT THOUGH FOG IS
POSSIBLE IN THE VALLEYS OF NE WA AND N ID THURSDAY NIGHT. /SB
-----------------------
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 29 51 30 54 32 61 / 20 30 0 0 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 29 47 29 52 30 59 / 30 50 10 0 0 0
PULLMAN 28 45 29 51 32 59 / 30 40 10 0 0 0
LEWISTON 33 50 34 56 33 64 / 30 30 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 27 53 26 57 28 62 / 50 30 0 0 0 0
SANDPOINT 29 45 28 50 29 57 / 60 70 20 20 0 0
KELLOGG 27 41 28 47 29 56 / 50 80 30 30 0 0
MOSES LAKE 28 58 31 61 34 67 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 32 55 35 59 40 63 / 10 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 31 58 32 61 35 64 / 10 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...FREEZE WARNING FROM 2 AM TO 8 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR MOSES LAKE
AREA-UPPER COLUMBIA BASIN-WENATCHEE AREA.
ID...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 5 AM PDT THURSDAY FOR CENTRAL
PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS.
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