Red Flag Warning 16, NWS Pendleton, OR

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
423 AM PDT TUE SEP 2 2014

UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION

.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THE NORTHWEST FLOW OVER THE
REGION HAS NOW BECOME A WESTERLY FLOW IN RESPONSE TO A TROUGH THAT
IS DIGGING SOUTHWARD ALONG THE COAST. A DRY COLD FRONT EMBEDDED IN
THIS FLOW WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT.
MOISTURE IS VERY LIMITED SO CAN EXPECT SHOWERS ONLY TO OCCUR OVER
THE CASCADE EAST SLOPES. ELSEWHERE IT WILL REMAIN DRY WITH JUST
CLOUDS OVERHEAD. THE MAIN CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM IS TIGHTENING
PRESSURE GRADIENTS AHEAD OF AND WITH THE COLD FRONT. WINDS WILL
REACH THE 20 TO 30 MPH RANGE BY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A
RESULT. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL BE HIGH ENOUGH TO KEEP THE BASIN
OUT OF RED FLAG CONDITIONS. HOWEVER...IT WILL BE A CLOSE CALL AND
WILL NEED TO ADD HIGHLIGHTS TO THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST. THE OTHER
CONCERN WILL BE PATCHY BLOWING DUST IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE STABLE SO AM NOT
EXPECTING ANY THUNDERSTORMS. COOLER MARINE AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE
CWA ON WEDNESDAY BEHIND THE DEPARTING COLD FRONT. TEMPERATURES WILL
DROP TO ABOUT 7-10 DEGREES COOLER ON WEDNESDAY THAN TODAY. THE
COOLING WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS 500 MB HEIGHTS AND 850 MB
TEMPERATURES RISE ON THURSDAY WITH LOWER ELEVATION MAXIMUM READINGS
BACK INTO THE LOWER 80S WITH DRY CONDITIONS. THE WARMING TREND WILL
CONTINUE INTO THE LONG TERM FORECAST PERIOD. 88

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...DRY SPLIT FLOW WILL
REMAIN OVER EASTERN WASHINGTON AND OREGON FOR MOST OF THE LONG TERM
PERIOD. THIS WILL KEEP DRY AND STABLE AIR OVER THE AREA. RADIATIONAL
COOLING DUE TO LIGHT WINDS...LENGTHENING NIGHTS...AND CLEAR SKIES
WILL KEEP NIGHTS COOL WHILE THE AMPLIFYING RIDGE WILL PROVIDE SUNNY
SKIES AND WARMER DAYS. SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
WITH THE MAIN LIFT IN CANADA MAY DROP FAR ENOUGH SOUTH TO TRIGGER
SOME SHOWERS NEAR THE CASCADES. THE MAIN EFFECTS WILL BE ANOTHER
PUSH OF COOLER AIR FOR LATE SUNDAY AND MONDAY AND SOME BREEZY
CONDITIONS.  COONFIELD

&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAFS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL DURING THE TAF
PERIOD...THOUGH WINDS BTWN 10 TO 20 KTS WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 KTS WILL
OCCUR AS A COLD FRONT PASSES THRU THE AREA BTWN 02/20Z THRU 03/03Z.
THERE IS VERY LIMITED MOISTURE WITH THE FRONT...BUT SCT MID CLOUDS
CAN BE EXPECTED AS IT PASSES.  PATCHY BLOWING DUST MAY OCCUR NEAR OR
OVER KPSC AND KPDT DURING THE STRONGEST WIND GUSTS...THOUGH BLOWING
DUST WILL NOT LIKELY BE THE PREVAILING CONDITION AT THOSE SITES. 76

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  81  50  72  49 /   0  10   0   0
ALW  83  55  74  54 /   0  10  10   0
PSC  84  52  77  50 /   0   0   0   0
YKM  79  48  75  47 /   0  10   0   0
HRI  83  52  76  46 /   0  10   0   0
ELN  75  51  72  48 /  10  10   0   0
RDM  80  37  71  37 /   0  10   0   0
LGD  80  46  68  42 /   0  10  10   0
GCD  81  43  70  42 /   0  10   0   0
DLS  79  55  77  51 /   0  10   0   0

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...NONE.
WA...NONE.

&&

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON

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