575
FXUS66 KPDT 252231
AFDPDT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
231 PM PST WED FEB 25 2026
KEY MESSAGES
DISCUSSION
A LINGERING STATIONARY FRONT (THAT'S FOR ALL
PRACTICALITY A VERY SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT) HAS SLOWLY PUSHED
OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST, CLOSER TO THE OREGON/NEVADA/IDAHO REGION.
AS THE FRONT CONTINUES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE REGION, THE LOW TO
MID LEVEL CLOUDS THAT WERE IN CENTRAL OREGON WILL BEGIN TO
CLEAR OUT AS WE HEAD INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. LIGHT SNOW
SHOWERS ISOLATED TO THE SNOQUALMIE PASS AREA (40-50 POPS) WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, BRINGING UP TO AN
ADDITIONAL INCH OF SNOW (80-90% CHANCE) IN THE AREA.
THROUGH THE WEEKEND: A RIDGE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE PACNW REGION
THAT WILL MAINTAIN DRY, WARMER CONDITIONS THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING. CURRENT GUIDANCE SHOWS HIGH TEMPERATURES MAINTAINING IN
THE LOW TO MID 50S THROUGH THE LOWER ELEVATION AREAS, WITH LOW
TEMPERATURES RISING AT OR NEAR FREEZING ON SATURDAY (>80%
CHANCE). SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL RESUME SATURDAY GOING INTO SUNDAY
AS A CLOSED-LOW WILL MOVE JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA NEAR THE
CALIFORNIA/OREGON BORDER. RAIN WITH SOME AREAS OF A WINTRY MIX
WILL BE SITUATED IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF OUR REGION NEAR CENTRAL
OREGON THROUGH THE JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS (50-70% CHANCE) WITH THE
ATMOSPHERIC RIVER'S MAIN IMPACTS STAYING JUST SOUTH OF THE
PENDLETON/TRI-CITIES AREA. TOTAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE
LIKELY TO GO UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH OF RAIN, WITH NBM NOT
GIVING MUCH MORE THAN A 15-20% CHANCE OF GOING ABOVE THAT
THRESHOLD.
TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL DEVELOP NEAR THE
ELLENSBURG/KITTITAS VALLEY, BRINGING BREEZY TO LOCALLY WINDY
CONDITIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 35 TO 45 MPH
MIGHT BE COMMON IN THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE VALLEY, WITH
GUSTY 30 TO 40 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE LOWER WASHINGTON COLUMBIA
AREA, ALTHOUGH NOT AS GREAT OF A CHANCE NEAR THE KITTITAS
VALLEY. NBM SUGGEST 15-25% CHANCES THAT THE LOWER COLUMBIA WILL
DEVELOP WIND GUST GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO 40 MPH, WHILE THE
KITTAS DEPICT SLIGHTLY HIGHER CHANCES AT 25-35%. DESPITE THAT,
NOT EXPECTING ANY ISSUANCE OF WIND ADVISORY HIGHLIGHTS AT THIS
TIME AS CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW TO MEDIUM THAT WE WILL HIT
CRITERIA BELOW 3500 FEET. AREAS ABOVE 3500 FEET WILL SEE MUCH
HIGHER GUSTS AS HIGH AS 50 MPH (60-80% CHANCES), ALTHOUGH WIND
ADVISORIES ARE NOT ISSUED FOR ELEVATIONS THIS HIGH.
EARLY NEXT WEEK: THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
EAST THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK, TAPERING OFF PRECIPITATION CHANCES
BY MONDAY LASTING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. AFTERWARDS,
GUIDANCE SUGGESTS ANOTHER WET PATTERN TO RESUME AS WE HEAD INTO
MID-WEEK NEXT WEEK.
AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/
VISIBLE SATELLITE AND MESONET OBSERVATIONS INDICATED CLEAR
CONDITIONS FOR DLS/YKM/ALW/PDT AND PSC THIS AFTERNOON. SCATTERED
TO BKN CU FIELD WAS ALSO PRESENT ON THE IMAGERY IN THE VICINITY
OF BDN AND RDM. BREEZY TO GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL RETURN ON
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, HOWEVER GUSTS WILL END AT MOST SITES FOR THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. BASED ON HREF OUTPUT, THE BEST OPPORTUNITY (IF
ANY) FOR GETTING LOW STRATUS/FOG TO DEVELOP IS IN THE VICINITY
OF PSC OVERNIGHT, FOR WHICH THERE IS ABOUT A 25% CHANCE FOR
VISIBILITY LESS THAN ONE HALF MILES. RUSSELL/71
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
PDT 29 53 31 56 / 0 0 0 0
ALW 32 53 35 55 / 0 0 0 0
PSC 31 55 33 57 / 0 0 0 0
YKM 27 51 29 53 / 0 0 0 0
HRI 30 55 32 58 / 0 0 0 0
ELN 28 45 30 47 / 0 10 0 10
RDM 22 52 25 58 / 0 0 0 0
LGD 25 51 29 56 / 0 0 0 0
GCD 24 50 29 55 / 0 0 0 0
DLS 31 52 33 55 / 0 0 0 0
PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
OR...NONE.
DISCUSSION...95
AVIATION...71
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