271
FXUS66 KPDT 030522
AFDPDT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
1022 PM PDT SUN AUG 2 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- BREEZY WINDS RETURN TO PORTIONS OF THE AREA TODAY.
*WIND ADVISORY ACTIVE*
- ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS PERSIST.
*FIRE WEATHER WATCHES IN EFFECT*
- WARMING AND DRYING TREND THROUGH THE WEEK, PEAKING MIDWEEK.
DISCUSSION
CURRENT RADAR AND VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS DRY CONDITIONS
UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. THERE IS SOME SMOKE PRESENT ACROSS AREAS
OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN OREGON THAT ARE NEAR THE GRASSHOPPER, HAGEN,
AND ROWE CREEK COMPLEX INCIDENTS. THESE CONDITIONS ARE IN RESPONSE
TO AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND ACCOMPANYING MID-LEVEL JET THAT WILL
KEEP BREEZY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE KITTITAS VALLEY, EASTERN COLUMBIA
GORGE, AND EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK
BETWEEN 3 PM AND 7 PM WITH SUSTAINED WEST-NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25-35
MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40-50 MPH, WHICH HAVE WARRANTED THE ISSUANCE OF A
WIND ADVISORY ACROSS THE KITTITAS VALLEY UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING.
THE NBM ADVERTISES A 60-80% CHANCE OF SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 MPH OR
GREATER AND ALSO OF GUSTS REACHING 45 MPH OR GREATER.
A THERMAL TROUGH DEVELOPS ALONG THE COAST AS UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT IN
THE FORM OF A RIDGE STALLS JUST OFFSHORE. THESE FEATURES WILL ALLOW
FOR SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA AS A SURFACE
LOW ENCROACHES NORTH ALONG THE OREGON/WASHINGTON COASTS TO PROMOTE
NORTH-NORTHEAST WINDS ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WIND DIRECTION WILL ALSO
USHER IN A DRY, CONTINENTAL AIRMASS RESULTING IN MODERATE TO POOR
OVERNIGHT HUMIDITY RECOVERIES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY MORNING AS
AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS TO MID-TEENS.
SUSTAINED EAST-NORTHEAST WINDS OF 15-25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30
MPH ARE EXPECTED DURING THIS TIMEFRAME. THESE VALUES WILL BE FOCUSED
ACROSS THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON, EASTERN COLUMBIA GORGE,
AND THE WARM SPRINGS AREAS, WHICH HAS WARRANTED THE ISSUANCE OF A
FIRE WEATHER WATCH OVER THESE ZONES (OR691, OR701, AND OR702)
FOR TUESDAY.
THE THERMAL TROUGH AND EAST-NORTHEAST WINDS WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR A
SIGNIFICANT WARMING TREND TO COMMENCE THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. HEAT
IS EXPECTED TO PEAK THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE
AXIS SLIDES OVER THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES BOTH DAYS WILL REACH
BETWEEN 95-105 ACROSS THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN, CENTRAL OREGON, BLUE
MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS, EASTERN COLUMBIA GORGE, AND THE YAKIMA/KITTITAS
VALLEYS. CURRENTLY, THE NBM INDICATES A 40-60% CHANCE OF HIGHS
REACHING TRIPLE DIGITS ACROSS THE TRI- CITIES, YAKIMA, AND WALLA
WALLA AREAS THURSDAY, DROPPING TO A 20-40% CHANCE ON FRIDAY.
WIDESPREAD MODERATE (2 OF 4) AND ISOLATED MAJOR (3 OF 4) HEATRISK IS
PRESENT THURSDAY, WITH SCATTERED MODERATE HEATRISK LINGERING ON
FRIDAY FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS. 75
AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/
VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. GUSTY WINDS AT
DLS THROUGH 10Z WITH WIND GUSTS 15 TO 20 KTS. ALL OTHER SITES
WILL HAVE WINDS 10 KTS OR LESS. CIGS ARE MOSTLY SKC AND NO VSBY
CONCERNS ARE EXPECTED.
FIRE WEATHER
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS PERSIST TODAY ACROSS CENTRAL OREGON
ZONES BEFORE BECOMING MORE FOCUSED ACROSS THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN
AND EASTERN COLUMBIA GORGE AREAS MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY ASSOCIATED
WITH EAST-NORTHEAST WINDS RESULTING FROM A DEVELOPING THERMAL TROUGH
ALONG THE COAST. ELEVATED 700MB WINDS, UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT, AND
TERRAIN INDUCED ENHANCEMENT COUPLED WITH EAST-NORTHEAST WIND
DIRECTIONS WILL BRING IN A VERY DRY AIRMASS. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH
HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR OR691, OR701, AND OR702 TUESDAY.
ELEVATED CONCERNS LINGER THROUGH THE WEEK AND APPROACH CRITICAL
CONDITIONS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ASSOCIATED WITH A DROPPING UPPER
LEVEL SHORTWAVE THAT SUPPRESSES THE RIDGE RESPONSIBLE FOR HEAT AND
EAST-NORTHEAST WINDS. AT THIS TIME, THE MAIN CONCERNS RESIDE ACROSS
WA690, OR691, OR701, OR702, AND OR703 BOTH DAYS.
MODERATE TO POOR OVERNIGHT HUMIDITY RECOVERIES ARE ALSO ANTICIPATED
WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MORNINGS WITH HUMIDITIES OF 20-40% ACROSS
MUCH OF THE REGION. 75
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
PDT 77 45 81 48 / 0 0 0 0
ALW 78 50 83 54 / 0 0 0 0
PSC 83 50 86 52 / 0 0 0 0
YKM 80 50 84 56 / 0 0 0 0
HRI 81 50 85 53 / 0 0 0 0
ELN 71 49 81 54 / 0 0 0 0
RDM 76 37 82 44 / 0 0 0 0
LGD 76 44 82 48 / 0 0 0 0
GCD 80 43 84 48 / 0 0 0 0
DLS 78 55 86 59 / 0 0 0 0
PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL 2 PM PDT MONDAY FOR WAZ028>030.
OR...FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY
EVENING FOR ORZ691-701>703.
AIR QUALITY ALERT UNTIL 2 PM PDT MONDAY FOR ORZ044-049-050-502-
503-505>511.
DISCUSSION...75
AVIATION...90
FIRE WEATHER...75
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