348
FXUS66 KOTX 060530
AFDOTX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
1030 PM PDT Sun Apr 5 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Warmer and dry early this week.

- Gusty winds and dry conditions Tuesday. Elevated grass fire
  potential in the late morning and afternoon Tuesday.

&&

.SYNOPSIS...
Warm and dry conditions will continue through Monday.
Temperatures will warm above normal with highs in the upper 60s
to the low 70s into Monday. Temperatures cool back to near
normal Tuesday with a dry cold front passage. The Inland
Northwest looks to be unseasonably dry through the next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Tonight through Monday: The region continues to have a
strengthening ridge. It brings dry, warm weather for Monday.
Highs will in the upper 60s and 70s for Sunday and 70s and low
80s for Monday. Overnight lows will be in the upper 30s and low
40s. Ridge is still expected to begin to breakdown on Monday as
trough begins to press into the region from Canada.

Tuesday: The trough will push a strong dry cold front through
the Inland Northwest. Ensembles continue to show passage during
the late morning hours. Precipitable water amounts are around
0.5-0.6 of an inch (130-140 percent of normal). Any precip will
be over the Cascades and northern mountains and expected to only
be a few hundredths. Drier air behind the front will drop
precipitable water down to 0.1-0.2 (40-50 percent of normal).
Winds will be gusty with the front passage. 850Mb winds are in
the 40-50 kt range. Model surface winds are in the 25-40 mph
range. The region has around a 30 percent chance of gusts
greater than 30 mph with the best chance over Southeast
Washington. Areas down the Okanogan Valley, Columbia Basin, and
NE Washington could also see stronger gusts with front passage.
The dry, breezy conditions lead to some early season fire
concerns for dry grasses and shrubs in the Basin. The front will
deliver a 10-15 degree drop in high temperatures on Tuesday
relative to Monday.

Wednesday through Saturday: High pressure will build off the
Pacific Northwest coast and bring another period of dry weather.
Ensembles have pulled back on any precip chances for the Inland
Northwest with a less than 10 percent chance of precip through
Friday. The ridge is expected to break down late Friday as a
Gulf of Alaska Low drops into the region. It will increase
precip chances for the weekend. Highs will be in the upper 50s
and low 60s for Wednesday before climbing into the 60s and low
70s by Friday. Overnight lows will be in the 30s and low 40s.
/JDC

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z TAFS: VFR conditions expected through the forecast period,
with variable middle to high clouds. Some lower clouds, though
still above 5000 feet, develop through Monday afternoon. Winds
light and variable much of the period, increasing some later in
the afternoon into evening especially near the Cascades. Beyond
this TAF period, beyond 06Z Tuesday, some LLWS is possible near
EAT/GEG.

FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS:
High confidence in VFR conditions.

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

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        44  71  44  55  32  58 /   0   0  10   0   0   0
Coeur d`Alene  44  69  44  55  32  56 /   0   0  10   0   0   0
Pullman        45  68  46  55  32  56 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Lewiston       48  72  49  63  36  62 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Colville       41  74  41  57  30  61 /   0   0  10  10   0   0
Sandpoint      42  67  44  52  32  55 /   0   0  10  20   0   0
Kellogg        45  68  45  52  33  54 /   0   0  10  20   0   0
Moses Lake     44  78  44  62  33  64 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Wenatchee      49  77  42  58  36  62 /   0   0   0   0   0   0
Omak           45  77  41  60  35  62 /   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

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

&&

$$