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FXUS66 KPDT 151752
AFDPDT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
952 AM PST THU JAN 15 2026
AVIATION...18Z TAFS
LINGERING MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO FOG
AND FREEZING FOG WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AROUND 21Z FOR IMPACTED
TERMINALS. KYKM IS EXPECTED TO SEE PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS
THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH LINGERING LOW CLOUDS AND VISIBILITY
RESTRICTIONS. OTHERWISE, A RETURN TO GENERALLY WIDESPREAD VFR
CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WIND AFTER 21Z THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING
HOURS. WITH THE NEXT ROUND OF FOG DEVELOPING THIS EVENING, MVFR
TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER 03Z FOR WASHINGTON
TERMINALS KPSC, KYKM, AND KALW. THE ONSET FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF
FOG IS FAVORED TO BE AFTER 12Z FRIDAY FOR OREGON TERMINALS KPDT
AND KDLS. KBDN AND KRDM WILL REMAIN VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD.
BRANHAM/76
PREV DISCUSSION
/ISSUED 147 AM PST THU JAN 15 2026/
DISCUSSION...FOG IS SPREADING ACROSS THE COLUMBIA BASIN EARLY
THIS MORNING AS THE REGION REMAINS UNDER A HIGH PRESSURE PATTERN.
THIS PATTERN WILL SHIFT SLIGHTLY HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND AS THE
CURRENT RIDGE OVER THE PACNW FLATTENS, SHIFTING THE WINDS ALOFT
INTO A MORE NORTHERLY FLOW REGIME THAT WILL INVITE COOLER, DRIER
AIR INTO THE FORECAST AREA. WILL THIS EAT AWAY AT THE DEVELOPING
FOG LAYER? GENERALLY THESE PATTERNS HELP LIFT THE FOG SLIGHTLY,
BUT THE EXPECTATION IS THAT A LOW STRATUS DECK WILL ENVELOP THE
COLUMBIA BASIN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS GIVEN THE CURRENT AND
FORECASTED SYNOPTIC PATTERN, MAKING FOR AN OVERCAST (FOR THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS) AND COLD PATTERN THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.
DENSE FOG ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE YAKIMA/KITTITAS
VALLEYS AND THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WA UNTIL NOON THURSDAY. AS
OF THE WRITING OF THIS DISCUSSION, OVERNIGHT SATELLITE IMAGERY
SUGGESTS THAT THE LOWER BASIN OF OR, WALLA WALLA VALLEY, AND
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE MAY ALSO NEED ADVISORIES BY THE EARLY MORNING
AS THE FOG LAYER SPREADS. DESPITE THE RIDGE FLATTENING, WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN LIGHT, AND MODEL SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THE INVERSION
OVER THE BASIN ISN'T DISSIPATING ANYTIME SOON. BY THE OVERNIGHT
PERIOD THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY, AM EXPECTING THIS FOG/LOW CLOUD LAYER
TO SPREAD MORE TOWARD THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUES AND EVEN DOWN INTO
NORTH CENTRAL OREGON. AGAIN, THE ONCOMING NORTHERLY FLOW MAY HELP
LIFT THE LAYER SLIGHTLY, BUT EXPECT LOW CLOUDS TO PERSIST IN THE
BASIN AT THE VERY LEAST.
OTHERWISE, ENSEMBLES GENERALLY AGREE ON SOME FORM OF A RIDGE PATTERN
INFLUENCING THE PACNW THROUGH MOST OF THE NEXT WEEK. EXPECT AIR
STAGNATION AND AIR QUALITY CONCERNS TO LINGER AS A RESULT. BY THE
END OF NEXT WEEK, SOME ENSEMBLE MEMBERS DO SUGGEST A PATTERN SHIFT
IN THE FORM OF A TROUGHING PATTERN, BUT GIVEN THAT IS OVER A WEEK
FROM NOW, CONFIDENCE IN THE PATTERN THAT FAR OUT IS PRETTY LOW (20%
AT BEST). 74
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
PDT 45 27 40 24 / 0 0 0 0
ALW 43 30 39 27 / 0 0 0 0
PSC 43 29 41 26 / 0 0 0 0
YKM 46 27 45 25 / 0 0 0 0
HRI 43 29 41 26 / 0 0 0 0
ELN 43 26 40 24 / 0 0 0 0
RDM 52 22 44 19 / 0 0 0 0
LGD 50 29 46 26 / 0 0 0 0
GCD 53 30 51 29 / 0 0 0 0
DLS 46 32 44 30 / 0 0 0 0
PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
OR...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR ORZ041-044-
507-508-510-511.
FREEZING FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR ORZ507.
WA...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR WAZ024-
026>029-521.
FREEZING FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR WAZ029.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL NOON PST TODAY FOR WAZ026>028.
SHORT TERM...74
LONG TERM....74
AVIATION...76
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