063
FXUS66 KOTX 241726
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
1026 AM PDT MON AUG 24 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- WARMING AND DRYING TREND MONDAY AND TUESDAY
- MINOR TO MODERATE HEATRISK TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS
IN THE 90S.
- BREEZY WINDS WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY WITH ELEVATED FIRE
WEATHER CONDITIONS.
SYNOPSIS
TEMPERATURES WARM MONDAY INTO TUESDAY WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN
THE 90S BY TUESDAY. THE HEAT BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN WEDNESDAY INTO
THURSDAY WITH AN INCREASING RISK FOR BREEZY WINDS AND MOUNTAIN
THUNDERSTORMS.
DISCUSSION
TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY: A RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION ALONG
THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WHILE A TROUGH DIGS IN OFF THE COAST. A
SIMILAR PATTERN WILL BE SETTING UP FROM THIS PAST WEEKEND. THE
RIDGE WILL BE IN PLACE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS LEADING TO DRY, WARM
PATTERN. HIGHS WILL CLIMB BACK INTO THE 90S. MODERATE HEATRISK
WILL RETURN FOR MOST LOWLAND LOCATIONS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.
AS THE TROUGH BEGINS TO PRESS INTO THE REGION, A WEAK BAND OF
INSTABILITY WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE LOWER IDAHO PANHANDLE AND
BRING A LESS THAN 10% CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORM ON TUESDAY NIGHT.
LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY: THE TROUGH BEGIN TO PUSH INTO THE
REGION ON WEDNESDAY AND SLOWLY TRACK EAST. ENSEMBLES HAVE WEAK
INSTABILITY OVER THE CASCADES, NORTHERN MOUNTAINS, AND THE IDAHO
PANHANDLE. PRECIPITABLE WATER AMOUNTS ARE 0.75-0.9 OF AN INCH.
WINDS WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE OKANOGAN VALLEY AND WATERVILLE
PLATEAU WITH GUSTS IN THE 20-30 MPH RANGE. WEDNESDAY HIGHS WILL
BE IN THE 90S BEFORE DROPPING INTO THE 80S ON THURSDAY.
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY: THE TROUGH WILL STRUGGLE TO DISPLACE THE
RIDGE OVER CENTRAL US. ENSEMBLES HAVE THE TROUGH PATTERN
STALLED OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. DRIER AIR WILL
PUSH INTO THE REGION AS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES DROP TO
AROUND HALF AN INCH. WHILE MEANINGFUL AMOUNT OF RAIN IS NOT
EXPECTED, THE TROUGH WILL DROP HIGHS BACK INTO THE UPPER 70S
AND 80S THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. /JDC
AVIATION
18Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR ALL TERMINALS APART
FROM EAT THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. SMOKE FROM THE LITTLE GIANT
FIRE HAS BROUGHT EAT DOWN TO MVFR FOR BOTH VISIBILITY AND
CEILINGS, AND IT IS EXPECTED TO STAY THAT WAY THROUGH THE DAY
THEN PERHAPS CLEAR THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL BE MOSTLY LIGHT.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
IN VFR CONDITIONS FOR ALL TERMINALS APART FROM EAT. MODERATE
CONFIDENCE IN IFR TO MVFR RESTRICTIONS TO EAT DUE TO WILDFIRE
SMOKE.
-----------------------
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 53 86 55 95 59 92 / 0 0 0 0 0 10
COEUR D'ALENE 53 86 55 95 60 93 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
PULLMAN 46 86 49 94 53 90 / 0 0 0 0 0 10
LEWISTON 56 91 60 99 65 96 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
COLVILLE 43 85 45 92 49 93 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
SANDPOINT 46 82 50 91 55 92 / 0 0 0 0 10 20
KELLOGG 51 84 53 92 57 92 / 0 0 0 0 10 20
MOSES LAKE 54 89 56 95 57 93 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 61 88 64 94 67 93 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 53 87 58 94 61 94 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOR CENTRAL CHELAN
COUNTY- OKANOGAN HIGHLANDS-OKANOGAN VALLEY-UPPER COLUMBIA BASIN-
WATERVILLE PLATEAU-WENATCHEE AREA-WESTERN CHELAN COUNTY-WESTERN
OKANOGAN COUNTY.
ID...NONE.
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