367
FXUS66 KOTX 301907
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
1207 PM PDT WED SEP 30 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- SHELTERED NORTHERN VALLEYS WILL SEE LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE
MID 30S EACH MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY, LEADING TO ISOLATED AREAS
OF FROST DEVELOPMENT.
- TEMPERATURES GRADUALLY TREND WARMER THROUGH THE REST
OF THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. AFTERNOON HIGHS PEAK IN THE
70S AND LOW 80S SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY.
- MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
SHOWER CHANCES FOR THE NORTH CASCADES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
SYNOPSIS
TEMPERATURES WILL TREND WARMER THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK,
RISING INTO THE 70S AND LOW 80S BY THE WEEKEND. CONDITIONS ARE
LOOKING BENIGN THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER WITH MAINLY DRY
CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS.
DISCUSSION
WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY: DRIER AIR CURRENTLY IN PLACE HAS
BROUGHT CLEARING TO MUCH OF EASTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO THIS
AFTERNOON. THROUGH THE END OF THE WORKWEEK, THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
WILL REMAIN UNDER MOSTLY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR
TEMPERATURES TO GRADUALLY TREND WARMER, WHILE ALSO ALLOWING EMBEDDED
WEAK SYSTEMS AND MOISTURE WITHIN THE FLOW TO MOVE THROUGH. MOISTURE
INCREASES AGAIN TONIGHT BRINGING MORE MIDDLE AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS.
BEFORE THE MOISTURE LIFTS NORTHWARD, CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS
EARLY WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL ALLOW LOW TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE
NORTHERN VALLEYS TO PLUMMET INTO THE 30S. UNCERTAINTY EXISTS IN HOW
QUICKLY THE TEMPERATURES CAN DECREASE BEFORE CLOUD COVER INCREASES,
WHICH WILL LIMIT THE RADIATIVE COOLING. THESE WEAK EMBEDDED WAVES
BRING A 15-25% CHANCE FOR VERY LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ACROSS THE FAR
NORTH CASCADES THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND FRIDAY, WITH THE REST OF THE
INLAND NORTHWEST ONLY SEEING PASSING CLOUDS.
FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY: ENSEMBLES ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE
RIDGE TO BECOME ESTABLISHED OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST THIS WEEKEND,
WITH TEMPERATURES TRENDING TO 10-15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL BY SUNDAY
AND MONDAY (HIGHS IN THE MID 70S TO LOW 80S). MODELS HINT AT A WEAK
WEATHER SYSTEM MONDAY INTO TUESDAY TEMPORARILY FLATTENING THE RIDGE,
WITH SUBTLE COOLING ON TUESDAY. BEYOND TUESDAY, MODELS CONTINUE TO
BE IN AGREEMENT FOR THE UPPER-LEVEL RIDGE TO AMPLIFY FOR THE REST
OF THE WORK WEEK KEEPING THE INLAND NORTHWEST WARM AND DRY. /VMT
AVIATION
18Z TAFS: VFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED AS DRIER AIR FILTERS
INTO THE INLAND NORTHWEST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THIS WILL CLEAR
CLOUDS FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST, WITH CEILINGS 4-6K FEET AT
KPUW AND KLWS THROUGH 21-00Z. ANOTHER PUSH OF MID AND HIGH LEVEL
CLOUDS ARRIVES TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING, THOUGH CONDITIONS
WILL REMAIN VFR. WINDS WILL BE LESS THAN 10KT THROUGH THE
PERIOD OUTSIDE OF THE OKANOGAN VALLEY AND WATERVILLE PLATEAU
WHERE BREEZY NORTHERLY WINDS DEVELOP TONIGHT.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HIGH CONFIDENCE
FOR VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE PERIOD.
-----------------------
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 42 68 44 74 45 75 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COEUR D'ALENE 44 67 45 72 46 74 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
PULLMAN 44 69 46 74 47 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
LEWISTON 50 74 50 78 53 79 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
COLVILLE 35 68 38 73 41 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
SANDPOINT 40 65 42 69 44 71 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
KELLOGG 43 66 45 71 46 74 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
MOSES LAKE 44 73 45 77 47 79 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
WENATCHEE 51 71 54 76 54 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OMAK 42 70 45 75 47 76 / 0 0 0 0 0 0
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
ID...NONE.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page