319
FXUS66 KPQR 220940
AFDPQR
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
240 AM PDT WED APR 22 2026
SYNOPSIS
CONDITIONS REMAIN COOL AND WET TODAY AS AN UPPER
LEVEL LOW AND SURFACE FRONTS MOVE OVER THE REGION. A WARMING AND
DRYING TREND IS EXPECTED THURSDAY AND THROUGH THE START OF NEXT
WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC.
DISCUSSION...NOW THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT
SHOWER ACTIVITY HAS
DROPPED OFF OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW SHIFTS
EASTWARD. RADAR IMAGERY AS OF 2 AM DOES SHOW SCATTERED SHOWERS
PERSISTING OVER THE CASCADES AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS ALONG
WESTERLY SURFACE FLOW. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS
A WEAK COLD FRONT DROPS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST, BRINGING ANOTHER
ROUND OF LIGHT RAIN THROUGH THE DAY. RAIN IS EXPECTED TO ENTER
THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA AROUND 5 AM AND SPREAD
SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. CONDITIONS TREND DRIER FROM
NORTH TO SOUTH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, THOUGH SHOWERS
LINGER OVER THE CASCADES AND CASCADE FOOTHILLS INTO THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. RAINFALL TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT WEST
OF THE CASCADES RANGING FROM A FEW HUNDREDTHS IN THE FOR RAIN
SHADOWED PORTIONS OF THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY TO AROUND 0.35 INCHES
OVER PARTS OF THE COAST RANGE. HIGHER TOTALS BETWEEN 0.25-0.50+
INCHES OVER THE CASCADES ARE EXPECTED WITH TERRAIN ENHANCEMENT
SUPPORTING MORE FORCING. THERE IS A LOW (10-15%) CHANCE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LANE AND LINN COUNT CASCADE FOOTHILLS
THIS AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS MAY LINGER OVER THE CASCADES THURSDAY MORNING BUT
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO TREND WARMER AND DRIER THROUGH THE
DAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND. HIGHS BOUNCE BACK INTO THE LOW 60S
INLAND AND MID TO UPPER 50S ALONG THE COAST. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING
OVER THE EASTERN PACIFIC TRIES TO BUILD INTO THE PACNW HEADING
INTO THE WEEKEND BUT A LARGE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER CENTRAL CANADA
AND THE NORTHERN PLAINS WILL HINDER ITS EASTWARD MOMENTUM.
THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN WHAT THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN LOOKS
LIKE OVER THE REGION BY SATURDAY, SPLIT BETWEEN THE PINCH POINT
OF THE UPPER LEVEL FEATURES OR POSSIBLY SHORTWAVE ENERGY COMING
MORE OVERHEAD. EITHER WAY, CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN DRY
WITH RELATIVELY MINOR DIFFERENCES IN HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY
THROUGH MONDAY. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S TO LOW 70S INLAND AND UPPER
50S TO LOW 60S EACH DAY CAN BE EXPECTED. THE CASCADES COULD SEE
LIGHT SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS EACH DAY, MAINLY DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. -19
AVIATION
CURRENTLY MVFR ALONG THE COAST AND VFR INLAND WITH
CLOUD COVER HOVERING AROUND 3-5 KFT WITH LIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST
WINDS AROUND 5 KT. SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUE OVER THE CASCADE.
EXPECTING CONDITIONS TO TREND TOWARD MVFR INLAND AND POSSIBLY
IFR ALONG THE COAST AS A WEEK COLD FRONT DROPS THROUGH THE AREA
STARTING EARLY THIS MORNING. PRECIPITATION WILL BE LIGHT BUT
LOWER CLOUDS SHOULD LOWER TO 1500-2500 FT AS THE FRONT PASSES
THROUGH. WINDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHWEST
AFTER 12Z. GUSTS FOR ALL TERMINALS COULD REACH 20 KT BETWEEN
15Z WED AND 03Z THU, SLIGHTLY EARLIER ALONG THE COAST WITH GUSTS
UP TO 25 KT POSSIBLE. KTTD AND THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE
WILL ALSO SEE HIGHER WINDS UP TO 30-35 KT DUE TO THE ENHANCED
PRESSURE GRADIENT IN THE AREA. WINDS ALL APPEAR TO BE
UNIDIRECTIONAL AND THEREFORE LLWS IS NOT A THREAT AT THIS TIME.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...VFR CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT NORTHWESTERLY
WINDS AROUND 5 KT. ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE
THROUGH THE AREA BEGINNING AROUND 12-15Z, BRINGING MVFR CIGS
AND GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS. CIGS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO BETWEEN
1500-2500 FEET. WIND GUSTS OF 20-25 KT POSSIBLE AFTER 16-18Z
TODAY WITH HIGHER GUSTS TO AROUND 30 KT AT KTTD. -19
MARINE
A COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL
BRING INCREASING SEAS AND WESTERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY WINDS. BY
EARLY TO MID MORNING, A NORTHWEST SWELL WILL PUSH SEAS UP TO 7
TO 8 FT WITH WESTERLY WINDS AROUND 15 TO 20 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO
25 KT OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN WATERS. THE SOUTHERN WATERS
WILL SEE WINDS AND SEAS INCREASE A BIT LATER IN TIME, BEGINNING
THIS AFTERNOON. SEAS PEAK BETWEEN 9-13 FT WEDNESDAY EVENING INTO
TONIGHT AT 10 TO 12 SECONDS, BRINGING STEEP AND HAZARDOUS SEAS.
THE HIGHEST SEAS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NORTHERN OUTER WATERS
BEYOND 20-30 NM. WINDS DECREASE TONIGHT BEHIND THE FRONTAL
PASSAGE, HOWEVER SEAS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED UNTIL SIGNIFICANT
WAVE HEIGHTS FALL BELOW 10 FT BY LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
A HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR PZZ271 FROM 2 PM
PDT TODAY THROUGH 5 AM PDT THURSDAY, FOLLOWING A SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY THAT BEGINS AT 5 AM PDT TODAY. THE REMAINING MARINE
ZONES HAVE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TODAY
UNTIL 5 PM PDT THURSDAY, EXCEPT 5 PM TODAY UNTIL 5 PM PDT
THURSDAY FOR THE SOUTHERN WATERS AS WINDS AND SEAS TAKE LONGER
TO INCREASE SOUTH OF CAPE FOULWEATHER. NOTE THERE IS A 10-25%
CHANCE SEAS WILL PEAK NEAR 14-15 FT OVER THE NORTHERN OUTER
WATERS, WHICH REPRESENTS A REASONABLE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
A STRONG EBB CURRENT WILL OCCUR IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BAR
THIS MORNING, PEAKING AROUND 9 AM AND PUSHING SEAS UP TO 7 TO 8
FT WITH STEEP EBB CHOP OVER THE MAIN CHANNEL. SEAS THEN
INCREASE TO AROUND 9 TO 10 FT OVER THE MAIN CHANNEL LATE
TODAY AND REMAIN ELEVATED TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. IN ADDITION,
WESTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 25
KT. WINDS WILL BECOME SOUTHWEST AROUND 10 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 15
KT THURSDAY MORNING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED
FROM 5 AM PDT TODAY TO 5 PM PDT THURSDAY FOR THE COLUMBIA RIVER
BAR TO COVER THESE HAZARDS. A SECOND STRONG EBB CURRENT IS
EXPECTED THURSDAY MORNING, PEAKING AROUND 10 AM. -19/23
PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
OR...NONE.
WA...NONE.
PZ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 5 PM PDT
THURSDAY FOR PZZ210-251-252-272.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 PM PDT
THURSDAY FOR PZZ253-273.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 5 AM EARLY THIS MORNING TO 2 PM PDT
THIS AFTERNOON FOR PZZ271.
HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PDT
THURSDAY FOR PZZ271.
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