982
FXUS66 KOTX 180623
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
1023 PM PST Tue Dec 17 2024

.SYNOPSIS...
A strong surge of moisture overnight will produce snow and pockets
of freezing rain tonight and rain and snow for eastern Washington
and north Idaho. The passage of a cold front on Wednesday will
create wind gusts as high as 50 mph across the Palouse and
Columbia Basin. The rest of the week will feature mild
temperatures and a trend of more wet weather towards the weekend
into next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

As of 10 PM, the heaviest snow accumulations in central Washington
had ended. Snow amounts of 12 to 17 inches were reported around
Leavenworth and Plain before snow changed to freezing rain mid
evening. The slower than expected change will limit the freezing
rain potential to a quarter inch or less for the remainder of the
night. Winter Weather Advisories were added to the north Idaho
Panhandle and northeast Washington including Colville, Chewelah,
Metaline, Deer Park, Bonners Ferry, and Sandpoint. Snow levels
remained down to the valley floors through the evening allowing 1
to 4 inch accumulations in these northern valleys. /GKoch

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z TAFS: Warm frontal precipitation will clear the Spokane, Coeur
d`Alene, and Pullman airports by 08z. Once in the warm sector, low
level wind shear will increase across the southern Idaho Panhandle
and the eastern third of Washington. The mixing associated with
increasing winds should break up the low stratus until the cold
front arrives between 12-16z. Another brief period of rain will
spread across eastern Washington and north Idaho followed by gusty
west winds. Gust of 30 to 35kts are expected for KGEG, KPUW, KSFF,
and KLWS from late morning through late afternoon.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Low confidence of
when ceilings will lift around Moses Lake and Wenatchee. The HREF
suggests enough warm sector mixing prior to 12z for improving
conditions, but it may be after cold frontal passage (15z) before
west winds disperse the low clouds and areas of fog. /GKoch

-----------------------

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        34  46  30  39  32  41 /  80 100   0   0  10   0
Coeur d`Alene  33  45  29  41  32  43 /  90 100   0   0  10   0
Pullman        35  46  30  42  33  44 /  40 100   0   0  10   0
Lewiston       40  53  33  46  36  48 /  20  90   0   0   0   0
Colville       28  44  23  36  30  40 / 100 100   0  10  20   0
Sandpoint      31  42  28  37  31  40 / 100 100   0  10  20   0
Kellogg        33  42  30  42  33  44 / 100 100   0   0  10   0
Moses Lake     35  49  28  42  33  43 /  40  50   0   0  10   0
Wenatchee      31  44  29  37  32  40 /  60  60   0  10  10   0
Omak           32  44  25  37  32  40 /  80  80   0  10  20   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ID...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 AM PST Wednesday for Northern
     Panhandle.

     Wind Advisory from 4 AM to 1 PM PST Wednesday for Coeur d`Alene
     Area-Idaho Palouse.

WA...Winter Weather Advisory until 4 AM PST Wednesday for Central
     Chelan County-Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands-
     Okanogan Valley-Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee Area-Western
     Okanogan County.

     Wind Advisory from 4 AM to 1 PM PST Wednesday for Lower Garfield
     and Asotin Counties-Spokane Area-Upper Columbia Basin-
     Washington Palouse-Waterville Plateau.

     Winter Storm Warning until 4 AM PST Wednesday for Western Chelan
     County.

&&

$$