929
FXUS66 KPDT 090515
AFDPDT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1015 PM PDT WED JUL 8 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- DRY AND LOCALLY BREEZY FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
- ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.
- INCREASING HEAT AROUND THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.
DISCUSSION
DRY WESTERLY FLOW WILL BE OVER THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY. BY
FRIDAY, THE FLOW BECOMES MORE SOUTHWESTERLY, IN RESPONSE TO LOW
PRESSURE OFF THE COAST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND HIGH PRESSURE
NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS. THIS RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL EXPAND
NORTH AND EVENTUALLY WEST AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT WEEK.
DIURNALLY BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED, MAINLY OVER THE
CASCADE GAPS, SIMCOE HIGHLANDS, KITTITAS VALLEY AND COLUMBIA
BASIN AND GORGE. WINDS GUSTS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE 20 TO 30 MPH
RANGE. NBM PROBABILITIES OF WIND GUSTS >= 25 MPH ARE GREATER
THAN 80 PERCENT THROUGH SATURDAY. HOWEVER, WIND GUSTS >= 39 MPH
ARE GENERALLY LESS THAN 50 PERCENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE
KITTITAS VALLEY.
AS WE GET INTO NEXT WEEK, A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER
THE GREAT BASIN WILL MOVE NORTHWARD THEN EVENTUALLY WESTWARD.
GUIDANCE HAS BEEN VERY CONSISTENT IN BRINGING INCREASINGLY HOT
WEATHER STARTING AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. WHAT GUIDANCE
HAS BEEN LESS CONSISTENT ABOUT IS EXACTLY HOW HOT IT GETS AND
HOW LONG IT WILL LAST. SOME OF THAT IS SIMPLY DUE TO THE TIME
SCALE OF THE FORECAST. SOME OF THAT IS DUE TO THE POSITION OF
THE RIDGE AND HOW IT SETS UP.
TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO 100 DEGREES, IF NOT ABOVE 100 DEGREES LOOK
TO START AROUND TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK IN THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS AND POTENTIALLY GO UP FROM THERE. A 40 TO 50 PERCENT
CHANCE OF MODERATE HEATRISK RETURNING WITH MAJOR HEAT RISK AT
LEAST IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN AND YAKIMA VALLEY IS POSSIBLE AS
WELL. IF SOME OF THE MORE BULLISH GUIDANCE ENDS UP BEING
CORRECT, THERE COULD END UP BEING MULTIPLE DAYS OF 100 PLUS
TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER ELEVATION AREAS. STAY TUNED ON THIS
ONE.
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/
VFR CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST AT ALL SITES FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY CLEAR ASIDE FROM PERIODIC PASSING HIGH
CLOUDS. WINDS WILL BE DIURNALLY AND TERRAIN-DRIVEN, STRONGEST AT
DLS WHERE BREEZY GAP WINDS ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY.
FIRE WEATHER
DIURNALLY BREEZY WINDS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS IN THE 20 TO 30
MPH RANGE (WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AREAS) COMBINED WITH RH VALUES
WILL KEEP ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS.
FOR THURSDAY, WINDS WILL BE MARGINAL, AROUND 30 MPH AGAIN, WITH
RH VALUES MAINLY IN THE TEENS. THE AREA OF FOCUS ON SHIFTS TO
THE COLUMBIA BASIN AND GORGE AND WILL NEED TO SEE IF ANY
HEADLINES BECOME NECESSARY.
BREEZY WINDS CONTINUE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, BUT RH VALUES LOOK
TO BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER....IN THE 20S IN MANY LOCATIONS.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
PDT 55 88 56 89 / 0 0 0 0
ALW 60 90 61 91 / 0 0 0 0
PSC 57 92 59 93 / 0 0 0 0
YKM 57 92 58 92 / 0 0 0 0
HRI 58 91 60 92 / 0 0 0 0
ELN 54 85 56 84 / 0 0 0 0
RDM 47 88 49 88 / 0 0 0 0
LGD 53 89 54 91 / 0 0 0 0
GCD 50 91 52 94 / 0 0 0 0
DLS 58 89 60 87 / 0 0 0 0
PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
OR...NONE.
DISCUSSION...77
AVIATION...86
FIRE WEATHER...77
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