FXUS66 KOTX 261713
AFDOTX
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WA
913 AM PST SAT DEC 26 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL PROMOTE CONTINUED DRY AND COOL CONDITIONS
OVER THE INLAND NORTHWEST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A SERIES OF WEAK
WEATHER SYSTEMS NEXT WEEK WILL BRING SMALL TO MODERATE CHANCES OF
LIGHT SNOW TO THE REGION...BUT NO SIGNIFICANT STORMS ARE EXPECTED.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
MINOR UPDATE SENT TO ADJUST TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY COOLER BELOW
3000'...WARMER ABV 3000' AND ADJUST SKIES BASED ON MORNING
SATELLITE. MIDLEVEL HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME CUTOFF
OVER NORTHERN WASHINGTON...SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND SLOWLY
DRIFT TO THE E/NE. EXPECT LITTLE CHANGE WITH THE STRONG LOW-LEVEL
INVERSIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE. IF ANY...AS THE HIGH DRIFTS TO THE
E/NE...THIS SHOULD RESULT IN A 1 TO 3 DEGREES CELSIUS OF WARMING
ALOFT NEAR 4000-5000' WHICH WILL NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN
LOW-LEVEL INVERSIONS BUT ADD A FEW DEGREES OF WARMING TO THE
HIGHER TERRAIN. ADDITIONALLY...MOST VALLEYS ARE RUNNING 2 TO 4
DEGREES COOLER THIS MORNING AND WITH INVERSIONS REMAINING FIRMLY
IN PLACE...I HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING DIURNAL TEMPERATURE SWINGS
TOPPING WHAT OCCURRED ON FRIDAY.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THE BL REMAINS FAIRLY DRY AND THE MAIN AREAS OF
STRATUS AND FREEZING FOG APPEAR TO BE CONFINED TO LOWER COLUMBIA
BASIN AND L-C VALLEY ROUGHLY FROM OTHELLO...LA CROSSE...LEWISTON.
PATCHY COVERAGE IS ALSO NOTED ACROSS A FEW OF THE NORTHERN
VALLEYS...EAST SLOPES...AND NORTHERN ID PANHANDLE. /SB
&&
.AVIATION...
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT IS PROMOTING A STRONG INVERSION
OVER THE COLUMBIA BASIN AND VALLEYS NORTH AND WEST OF THE BASIN.
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE TO THE EAST OF THE AREA IS ALLOWING AREAS OF
LOW MVFR AND IFR AND LOCAL LIFR CEILINGS IN STRATUS WITH TOPS AROUND
3.5 KFT MSL TO DEVELOP OVER THE LOWER ELEVATIONS OF THE COLUMBIA
BASIN. THESE LOW CEILINGS WILL PERSIST MAINLY AT KLWS AND KEAT
THROUGH 18Z WITH SOME BREAK UP DURING THE AFTERNOON. VFR CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED TODAY AT ALL OTHER TAF SITES. TONIGHT THE AREA OF LOW
STRATUS MAY BROADEN OUT TO ENCOMPASS THE KMWH TAF SITE IN ADDITION
TO KLWS AND KEAT...WITH A SMALL POSSIBILITY OF IFR CONDITIONS IN THE
SPOKANE AREA TAF SITES BY 12Z SUNDAY.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
SPOKANE 27 17 28 17 26 19 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
COEUR D'ALENE 26 19 28 18 28 19 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
PULLMAN 27 20 30 20 27 21 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
LEWISTON 28 22 31 22 30 22 / 0 0 0 0 0 10
COLVILLE 29 15 30 14 27 16 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
SANDPOINT 26 18 27 15 28 16 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
KELLOGG 27 14 32 17 29 18 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
MOSES LAKE 30 18 28 15 28 17 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
WENATCHEE 25 21 26 17 26 20 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
OMAK 26 13 27 13 23 14 / 0 0 0 0 10 10
&&
.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR
CENTRAL PANHANDLE MOUNTAINS...COEUR D'ALENE AREA...IDAHO
PALOUSE...LEWIS AND SOUTHERN NEZ PERCE COUNTIES...LEWISTON
AREA...NORTHERN PANHANDLE.
WA...AIR STAGNATION ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR EAST
SLOPES NORTHERN CASCADES...LOWER GARFIELD AND ASOTIN
COUNTIES...MOSES LAKE AREA...NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS...OKANOGAN
HIGHLANDS...OKANOGAN VALLEY...SPOKANE AREA...UPPER COLUMBIA
BASIN...WASHINGTON PALOUSE...WATERVILLE PLATEAU...WENATCHEE
AREA.
&&
$$
