970
FXUS66 KOTX 301451
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
651 AM PST MON DEC 30 2024
SYNOPSIS
AN EXITING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TODAY WILL RESULT IN SNOW OVER THE
IDAHO PANHANDLE INTO EXTREME EASTERN WASHINGTON TODAY WITH SNOW
RATES BECOME LESS THROUGH THE DAY. COOLER TEMPERATURES NEXT WEEK
WITH LIGHT LOWLAND SNOW POSSIBLE AROUND MID WEEK. ANOTHER ROUND OF
MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS ON FRIDAY WITH SNOW
TRANSITIONING TO RAIN FROM SOUTH TO NORTH IN THE VALLEYS.
DISCUSSION
SNOW WITH AN EXITING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES OVER THE
CENTRAL PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS EXTENDING WESTWARD INTO COEUR
D'ALENE. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIGHT WITH UP TO AROUND 1 TO 2
INCHES OF ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS IN THE VALLEYS, AND UP TO AN
ADDITIONAL 2 TO 4 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS. MOUNTAIN PASSES WILL
CONTINUE TO SEE THE POTENTIAL TO BE SNOW COVERED WITH SLIPPERY
TRAVEL. SNOW HAS DECREASED ACROSS THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND ON
THE IDAHO PALOUSE WHERE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES HAVE NOW ENDED
THIS MORNING. /SVH
AVIATION
12Z TAFS: AN AREA OF DEFORMATION WILL RESULT IN LIGHT TO MODERATE
SNOW ACROSS THE SPOKANE/COEUR D'ALENE CORRIDOR WITH IFR TO LOW IFR
CONDITIONS THROUGH 15Z THIS MORNING. THIS BAND WILL WEAKEN AND
SHIFT OUT OF THE AREA IMPACTING KGEG-KSFF-KCOE BY MID MORNING, BUT
LOW STRATUS AND FOG WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE IFR CONDITIONS
ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AND INTO
THE IDAHO PANHANDLE THROUGH THE REST OF THE MORNING. CEILINGS
WILL THEN SEE IMPROVEMENT WITH STRATOCUMULUS AND MVFR CONDITIONS
IN THE AFTERNOON. LOW STRATUS AND FOG IS EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF
EXTREME EASTERN WASHINGTON AND THE IDAHO PANHANDLE OVERNIGHT INTO
TUESDAY MORNING IMPACTING AIRPORTS FROM KPUW-KGEG-KSFF-KCOE-KCQV-
KSZT.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: CONFIDENCE IS HIGH
FOR IFR CONDITIONS WITH SNOW THIS MORNING AND IMPROVING CEILINGS
IN THE AFTERNOON. THERE IS MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN THE EVOLUTION
OF STRATUS AND FOG OVERNIGHT. HIGHEST CONFIDENCE LIES ACROSS THE
SPOKANE/COEUR D'ALENE CORRIDOR (KGEG-KSFF-KCOE) AND LOWER
CONFIDENCE AT PUW AS THIS AIRPORT WILL BE ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF
THE LOW CLOUDS. THE HREF MODEL GIVES A 40-60% CHANCE FOR FOG OR
LOW STRATUS TO ADVECT AS FAR WEST AS KMWH BY 09Z TONIGHT. /SVH
-----------------------
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 36 28 35 28 33 28 / 20 10 0 10 60 40
COEUR D'ALENE 35 27 34 25 33 27 / 60 20 10 10 60 40
PULLMAN 36 27 35 26 32 27 / 20 20 10 10 60 50
LEWISTON 44 32 40 31 38 32 / 10 10 0 0 50 30
COLVILLE 36 24 32 26 33 24 / 10 0 0 30 60 30
SANDPOINT 34 28 33 26 31 26 / 60 30 20 20 70 40
KELLOGG 34 29 33 23 32 27 / 90 30 20 10 70 50
MOSES LAKE 41 27 35 30 36 30 / 0 0 0 20 40 40
WENATCHEE 37 25 31 28 33 29 / 0 0 0 30 40 40
OMAK 36 23 30 26 33 26 / 0 0 0 30 30 30
OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
ID...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR COEUR
D'ALENE AREA.
WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL
PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS.
WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR WESTERN
CHELAN COUNTY.
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