Sunrise 5:38 AM   Sunset 7:51 PM Moonrise 9:10 PM   Moonset 5:40 AM

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FXUS66 KOTX 242152 AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 252 PM PDT Wed Apr 24 2024

SYNOPSIS
After a brief break tonight and Thursday morning, another system will bring wide spread precip to the Inland Northwest. It will start a cooler, showery period that will last through the weekend and into the start of next week.

DISCUSSION

Tonight into Thursday: As the weak cold front exits the region, winds will calm. Thursday morning will start pleasant. Increasing clouds will build west to east across the region as the next system begins to move into the Inland Northwest. Overnight lows will be in the upper 30s and 40s.

Late Thursday through Friday: Another Low will quickly move through the Pacific Northwest. It is expected to bring a round of much needed showers to the Inland Northwest with most areas with at least a 30% probability of at least a tenth of an inch of precip. The east slopes of the Cascades is expected to be impacted by the rain shadow effect and should receive less. Increased cloud cover and cooler airmass will lead to cooling trend for the rest the of period. An isolated lightning strike is possible with these showers but confidence is very low. Thursday and Friday highs will in the mid 50s to 60s. Overnight lows will be in the 30s and low 40s.

Saturday through Tuesday: Models are keeping the region in a cooler, wet pattern as a strong Low slowly moves through the Gulf of Alaska. The region can expect periods of mountain snow for the Cascades and rain showers for the rest of the Inland Northwest.
Many areas will receive beneficial rains after the previous dry spell across the region. Highs will continue to be in the mid 50s and 60s. By the end of the entire period, portions of the northern mountains and Idaho Panhandle could receive near half an inch of precip. Overnight lows will generally be in the 30s and low 40s.
Some areas in the northern valleys could see upper 20s. /JDC

AVIATION
18Z TAFS: A dry cold front will move across eastern Washington and north Idaho bringing several hours of gusty winds this afternoon and evening to the majority of airports in the region. Gusts in the 20-25kt range will be possible through the Cascade gaps including Wenatchee, Chelan, and Ephrata. Guidance from the HRRR, GFS MOS, and model soundings from the GFS and NAM generate clouds in the 2000-3500ft range Thursday as early as 14z across north Idaho and the eastern third of Washington. Rises in low level humidity combined with warming after sunrise will likely produce a scattered to broken stratocumulus deck around Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, Pullman, and other north Idaho/northeast Washington airports. /GKoch

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: HRRR probabilities of ceilings below 3000ft peak around 30 to 50 percent for Spokane, Coeur d'Alene, and Pullman between 16 and 20z and was the preferred guidance for the TAFs. GFS MOS advertises 2500ft ceilings around Spokane and Coeur d'Alene as early as 14z which looks early compared to model soundings from the NAM and GFS.
/GKoch

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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 41 60 44 57 42 58 / 0 40 80 70 20 30 Coeur d'Alene 41 58 43 53 41 55 / 10 30 90 80 30 50 Pullman 40 58 43 55 40 56 / 10 30 90 80 30 30 Lewiston 45 66 49 61 46 63 / 0 30 80 60 20 20 Colville 36 61 41 56 40 58 / 10 40 90 90 50 70 Sandpoint 41 55 44 52 41 54 / 10 40 90 90 50 70 Kellogg 44 55 45 50 43 53 / 10 40 90 90 50 70 Moses Lake 41 63 43 65 42 67 / 0 40 30 20 10 10 Wenatchee 44 60 46 62 44 63 / 0 50 30 20 10 10 Omak 41 63 45 62 44 65 / 0 50 70 50 30 30

OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
ID...None.
WA...None.

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