Sandpoint, Idaho 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

016
FXUS66 KOTX 251149
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
449 AM PDT Wed Mar 25 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...
- Cascade Pass Snow: Wintry travel conditions develop tonight
  through Wednesday over the Cascades as snow levels drop to
  below pass levels.

- Gusty Winds: Winds will be breezy through Wednesday with
  southwesterly gusts 25 to 40 mph.

- Hydrology: The Stehekin River at Stehekin is forecast to
  remain above its Action Stage (19.5 ft) for the next week.
  Other area rivers will stay elevated but will remain below
  Action Stage.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
A passing cold front is dropping snow levels below mountain
passes, resulting in wintry travel conditions over the Cascades
through Wednesday. High pressure returns Thursday through the
weekend making for a drier and warmer end to the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Today: The region is on the backside of the moisture plume. A
cold front will pass through the morning hours and dropping snow
levels. Precipitable water amounts will steadily drop through
the day with dry air filling in behind the front. Percent of
normal will start around 80-90% and decrease to 40-50%. Main
concerns for the 24 hour period will be mountain pass snow,
primarily for the Cascades, and gusty winds across the Basin.
For snow amounts, ensembles have trended slightly higher for
snow amounts through Thursday morning. Stevens could receive 5-8
inches. The 10-90% probability for Stevens Pass is 4-10 inches.
As with the previous discussion, snow amounts are based on
where the Puget Sound Convergence Zone forms. It is currently
forming in the area of Stevens Pass. The drier air will limit
any snowfall along the lower slopes of the Cascades. Elevations
higher than 4000ft could get 1 to 3 inches. Lower elevations
will struggle to get up to an inch. Sherman and Lookout will
struggle to get an inch. Winds are still expected to breezy
through the day. Trends have the winds weaker than previous
forecasts. Current NBM has gusts 25-35 mph. Some ensemble
members have gusts reaching near 40 mph. The ensembles are
showing weak instability over Cascades, Northeast Washington,
and North Idaho Wednesday afternoon. A stray lightning strike is
possible but confidence is low.

Thursday through Monday: The high pressure will build back into
the region starting Thursday. Precip chances will be near zero
after Thursday morning and stay low through the weekend. Highs
will begin to climb into the upper 50s and 60s. Overnight lows
will be in the upper 20s and 30s. The ridge pattern is expected
to breakdown on Monday as another Low pressure system begins to
press into the Pacific Northwest. It will lead to another period
of unsettle weather in the midweek. /JDC

&&

.AVIATION...
12Z TAFS: Steady southwest, upslope flow is leading to a ragged
stratus deck over North Idaho with a few fingers backbuilding
across the stateline into Eastern WA. This ragged stratus varies
from 1000-3000 ft AGL. There is a 30-50% chance for the stratus
to become broken by sunrise between KGEG-SFF-KCOE. Further
south, a stalled frontal boundary is delivering ceilings 4-5K ft
AGL around PUW-LWS with spotty showers. A midlevel wave
pivoting into the region this afternoon will result in
steepening lapse rates and building cumulus clouds with 30-50%
chance for showers. Highest risk will be over NE WA and N ID
around Colville, Sandpoint, and Coeur D Alene though a 20-30%
extends westward into Lewiston, Pullman, Spokane, and Davenport.
Winds will be gusty 20-06z with gusts around 25kts. After 06z,
wind gusts will subside and drier air will settle into the
region ending the threat for showers.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
Low confidence for broken MVFR conditions through 17Z at
GEG/SFF/COE/PUW. Highest HREF probabilities exist between
GEG/SFF and PUW. The incoming wave will bring a low threat for
showers to expand as far west as MWH though confidence is low
and precipition mention was left out of the forecast. /sb

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

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        52  28  47  28  55  34 /  10  20   0   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  52  28  47  27  57  34 /  10  40   0   0   0   0
Pullman        49  28  44  29  56  35 /  40  20   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       56  33  51  31  60  38 /  50  20   0   0   0   0
Colville       54  27  50  26  57  31 /  20  30   0   0   0   0
Sandpoint      50  29  46  27  52  32 /  30  60  20   0   0   0
Kellogg        48  28  43  28  56  35 /  40  60  20   0   0   0
Moses Lake     57  30  53  29  60  36 /  10  10   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      53  31  51  32  55  37 /  20  10   0   0   0   0
Omak           55  29  52  31  57  35 /  20  10   0   0   0   0

&&

.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Winter Weather Advisory until 5 AM PDT Thursday for Western
     Chelan County-Western Okanogan County.
ID...None.

&&

$$