390
FXUS66 KOTX 201153
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
453 AM PDT SAT JUN 20 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WARM TEMPERATURES AND DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE. TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY NEXT WEEK WILL BE OUR WARMEST DAYS OVER THE NEXT
WEEK WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO MID 90S.
- A COLD FRONT WILL BRING DRY AND BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS ON
SATURDAY, PARTICULARLY OVER CENTRAL WASHINGTON, WITH CRITICAL
FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED.
SYNOPSIS
A COLD FRONT WILL THEN BRUSH ACROSS THE REGION ON SATURDAY AND
BRING BREEZY TO GUSTY WINDS ACROSS CENTRAL WASHINGTON AND A
RETURN FOR INCREASED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. LITTLE TO NO
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. WARM
TEMPERATURES AND DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
HOT, DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS SATURDAY...
TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY: A LOW PASSING THROUGH SOUTHERN BC WILL
SWING A DRY COLD FRONT ACROSS THE INLAND NORTHWEST. ENSEMBLES
HAVE DECENT AGREEMENT ON THE TIMING AND TRACK OF THE LOW. THE
FRONT WILL BRING GUSTY WINDS STARTING MID MORNING AND CONTINUE
INTO THE EVENING. HIGHEST WINDS WILL BE THROUGH THE OKANOGAN
VALLEY AND THE WESTERN COLUMBIA BASIN INCLUDING WENATCHEE AND
MOSES LAKE. THESE AREAS HAVE PROBABILITIES OF 50-70% FOR
SUSTAINED WINDS ABOVE 20 MPH AND GUSTS ABOVE 35 MPH. MINIMUM
HUMIDITY WILL BE IN THE TEENS TO LOW 20 PERCENT. THESE
CONDITIONS HAVE LED TO A RED FLAG BEING ISSUED FOR THESE AREAS
WITH RAPID FIRE SPREAD CONCERNS. THE FRONT WILL BRING SLIGHTLY
COOLER TEMPERATURES THROUGH SUNDAY WITH HIGHS A FEW DEGREES
COOLER THAN FRIDAY. THE ONLY CHANCE FOR PRECIP FOR THE REGION
WILL BE ON SUNDAY AND OVER THE EXTREME NORTH IDAHO PANHANDLE. A
TRACE TO COUPLE OF HUNDREDTHS ARE ONLY EXPECTED. HEATRISK WILL
BE MAINLY MINOR THROUGH THE WEEKEND. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE IN
THE 50S.
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY: FOR THE START OF NEXT WEEK, MODELS ARE
IN FAIRLY DECENT AGREEMENT OF HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE LEADING STABLE
WARM, DRY PATTERN. TEMPERATURES CLIMB BACK INTO THE UPPER 80S
AND 90S. WEDNESDAY HAS BREEZY WINDS THROUGH THE CASCADE GAPS AS
A THERMAL TROUGH SETS UP ALONG THE CASCADES WITH GUSTS INTO THE
20S TO LOW 30S MPH. ENSEMBLES SHOW THE RIDGE BREAKING DOWN FOR
THE END OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. WHILE AGREEMENT ON TIMING
IS STILL PRETTY LOW, IT IS EXPECTED TO BE COOLER WITH INCREASED
PRECIP CHANCES ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE WEEKEND. /JDC
AVIATION
12Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH
PASSING MID TO UPPER LEVEL CLOUDS. A COLD FRONT PASSAGE WILL
RESULT IN WINDS GUSTS INCREASING AROUND 15-19Z TO 15-25KTS FOR
MOST TERMINALS. THESE GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO
THE THROUGH 03Z.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
IN VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TERMINALS THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD.
HIGH CONFIDENCE IN TIMING OF WIND INCREASE.
-----------------------
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 86 54 82 52 83 53 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 84 53 80 52 82 53 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
PULLMAN 80 51 78 48 81 50 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWISTON 88 56 86 55 89 57 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 84 49 81 47 85 50 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
SANDPOINT 82 50 77 50 79 52 / 0 0 10 0 0 0
KELLOGG 81 51 77 50 80 52 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
MOSES LAKE 89 56 87 58 89 57 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 86 59 86 62 89 64 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 86 57 85 55 88 58 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...RED FLAG WARNING FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM PDT THIS
EVENING FOR FOOTHILLS OF CENTRAL WASHINGTON CASCADES
(ZONE 705)-WATERVILLE PLATEAU (ZONE 706)-WESTERN COLUMBIA
BASIN (ZONE 707).
RED FLAG WARNING FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 11 PM PDT THIS
EVENING FOR OKANOGAN VALLEY (ZONE 703).
ID...NONE.
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