000
FXUS66 KPDT 081051 AAA
AFDPDT

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
350 AM PDT Wed Apr 8 2020

Updated Aviation Discussion

.SHORT TERM...Today through Friday...Dry and stable conditions
will prevail during the short term period. A broad upper level
trough extending from 140W to the Rocky Mountains will remain
stationary through Thursday night and slightly retrograde on
Friday. This will allow winds to increase aloft and give way to an
upper level shortwave Friday night. Winds in the Kittitas Valley
and the eastern Columbia River Gorge have been slow to decrease
and are currently breezy, but the cross-Cascade gradient will
weaken to a north-south gradient and winds should diminish later
in the morning. There will not be a significant warmup today due
to the northerly winds along the boundary layer and little change
in 850 mb temperatures. Thursday still looks like the warmest day
of the week as afternoon temperatures climb into the 60s to mid
70s.

.LONG TERM...Friday night through Wednesday...Winds at the surface
and aloft will increase Friday night and Saturday as the
aforementioned shortwave trough dives south across northeast WA
and the ID Panhandle. The main concern for our forecast area will
be winds, and this could potentially bring gusts 45+ mph in some
areas, particularly in and around the Columbia Basin. If the strong
gusts materialize, there will also be a potential for patchy blowing
dust. It will be considerably colder on Saturday when a backdoor
cold front accompanies the shortwave. Expect a 10-15 degree drop in
temperatures with highs in the 40s in the mountains and 50s to mid
60s elsewhere. There will be scattered mountain showers with snow
levels around 4500 feet.

An omega blocking pattern will set up from the eastern Pacific
across the U.S. Sunday through Wednesday. The upper level ridge
will amplify between 145W to the west coast, leaving eastern
WA/OR under a northerly flow aloft. It will be mostly dry early to
mid week, although there may be a few disturbances bringing a
slight chance of mountain showers over the Cascades and eastern
mountains. Daytime and nighttime temperatures will be near
seasonal with highs in the 50s to mid 60s and lows in the mid 20s
to upper 30s. Wister


&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAFs...Thin cirrus clouds will increase from the
north today and tonight. Winds will be 10 kts or less at all TAF
sites, although late afternoon or evening evening gusts to 20 kts
from the north are possible at KRDM.  Wister


&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  68  39  70  43 /   0   0   0   0
ALW  69  41  71  47 /   0   0   0   0
PSC  73  40  75  45 /   0   0   0   0
YKM  73  39  75  45 /   0   0   0   0
HRI  72  40  74  45 /   0   0   0   0
ELN  69  37  71  43 /   0   0   0   0
RDM  70  33  72  37 /   0   0   0   0
LGD  66  36  67  40 /   0   0   0   0
GCD  65  37  69  40 /   0   0   0   0
DLS  73  43  76  46 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...None.
WA...None.
&&

$$

85

NWS PDT Office Area Forecast Discussion