184
FXUS66 KPDT 081120
AFDPDT
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
420 AM PDT THU OCT 8 2026
KEY MESSAGES
- MOUNTAIN SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED LOWER ELEVATION SHOWERS DEVELOP
THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
- COOLER TEMPERATURES WITH BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS DEVELOP
FRIDAY, WITH POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT FREEZING.
- PATCHY BLOWING DUST POSSIBLE FRIDAY ACROSS THE COLUMBIA BASIN.
DISCUSSION
NOT MUCH TO TALK ABOUT ON RADAR AND SATELLITE WITH DRY AND CLEAR
CONDITIONS PREVAILING THANKS TO AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE ALOFT. THE
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE PUSHING OUT OF THE AREA, WITH
THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN BECOMING MORE ZONAL HEADING INTO
THURSDAY. WE'LL SEE TEMPERATURES PEAK TODAY IN THE LOW TO UPPER
80S ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATION AREAS WITH THE ONCOMING BREAKDOWN
OF THE RIDGE. A THERMAL TROUGH WILL DEVELOP THROUGH TODAY
ALLOWING FOR DRIER AIR TO PREVAIL WITH MINIMUM RH'S DROPPING
DOWN TO 15 TO 25 PERCENT IN MOST AREAS OF THE LOWER ELEVATION
(LOCALLY LOWER IN PARTS OF CENTRAL OREGON).
AN APPROACHING WEATHER SYSTEM WILL DROP DOWN FROM THE GULF OF
ALASKA FRIDAY (>90% CHANCE) AND BRING BREEZY CONDITIONS ACROSS
THE BASIN, SIMCOE HIGHLANDS, CASCADE GAPS, AND KITTITAS VALLEY
ALONG WITH MOUNTAIN SHOWERS THROUGH THE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
(30-50% CHANCE). GFS AND NAM HAVE SLIGHTLY TRENDED DOWN ON
PRESSURE GRADIENTS DEVELOPING WITH THE APPROACHING SYSTEM WITH
VALUES OF 9-12 MB FROM PORTLAND TO SPOKANE. CURRENTLY, NBM
ADVERTISES 30-50% CHANCES OF WIND GUSTS 45 MPH OR GREATER
FRIDAY FOR THE SIMCOE HIGHLANDS, FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS, AND THE KITTITAS VALLEY. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO OCCUR BETWEEN 2 PM AND 8 PM. WE MIGHT SEE SOME
ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WITH LINGERING DRY AIR AND BREEZY
TO LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS . ANOTHER CONCERN ON FRIDAY WILL BE
PATCHES OF BLOWING DUST WITH REDUCED VISIBILITY ACROSS THE
COLUMBIA BASIN, COLUMBIA GORGE, AND THE YAKIMA/KITTITAS VALLEYS.
FRIGID AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE ANTICIPATED STARTING
SATURDAY AS COLD, ARCTIC AIR FUNNELS INTO THE REGION FROM
CANADA. THIS WILL BRING HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FIRST SEASON FREEZES
ACROSS THE COLUMBIA BASIN, CENTRAL OREGON, AND OTHER SHELTERED
VALLEYS. FREEZING TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD THROUGH THE
WEEKEND WITH THE ONGOING FUNNELING OF COLD AIR AND BRING
WIDESPREAD FREEZING TEMPERATURES ACROSS CENTRAL OREGON, MOUNTAIN
AREAS, AND PARTS OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN. NBM CURRENTLY
ADVERTISES 20-50% CHANCES OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES FOR CENTRAL
OREGON AND THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUES SATURDAY MORNING WHICH
JUMP UP 70-80% CHANCE BY MONDAY MORNING. CHANCES ACROSS THE
BASIN REMAIN TAPERED DOWN TO 20-40% CHANCES BY MONDAY.
AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/
VFR CONDITIONS WITH CALM AND DRY CONDITIONS PREVAIL THROUGH THE
FORECAST PERIOD. WINDS GENERALLY CALM WITH SUSTAINED WINDS
MOSTLY LESS THAN 12 KNOTS. NO CIG OR VIS ISSUES EXPECTED.
PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS
PDT 80 50 72 39 / 0 0 30 10
ALW 80 57 72 43 / 0 0 30 20
PSC 81 47 75 39 / 0 0 0 0
YKM 81 50 70 38 / 0 0 0 0
HRI 81 50 73 39 / 0 0 0 0
ELN 79 48 63 33 / 0 0 20 0
RDM 84 40 71 29 / 0 0 0 10
LGD 84 45 75 36 / 0 0 10 50
GCD 87 46 77 37 / 0 0 0 40
DLS 85 52 71 42 / 0 0 10 0
PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...NONE.
OR...NONE.
DISCUSSION...95
AVIATION...95
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page