Freeze Warning 1, NWS Spokane, WA

600 
WWUS76 KOTX 161604
NPWOTX

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Spokane WA
904 AM PDT Sat Sep 16 2017


IDZ001-004-WAZ037-038-161715-
/O.EXP.KOTX.FZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170916T1600Z/
Northern Panhandle-Central Panhandle Mountains-
Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands-
904 AM PDT Sat Sep 16 2017

...FREEZE WARNING HAS EXPIRED...

Temperatures have warmed above freezing this morning and therefore
the freeze warning has expired. Generally temperatures will be
warmer tonight than was was seen this morning. Only very patchy
areas will see below freezing temperatures.

$$

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Spokane WA
439 AM PDT Fri Sep 15 2017

.SYNOPSIS...
Smoke and haze will linger over the region over the next couple of
days. The good news is that there shouldn't be much additional
smoke being produce now that temperatures are cooler and fire
activity decreasing as result. Chilly morning temperatures are
possible for the mountain valleys this weekend. An active and cool
fall-like pattern will arrive Sunday night and continue through
the next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Today through Saturday night: A low pressure system will reside over
southern to central Idaho today. Moisture is expected to wrap in
around the low but precip will mainly remain southeast of our
forecast area. Another disturbance moving south along the Great
Divide in southwestern Canada will eventually kick out this low
on Saturday. The northerly pressure gradient continues to weaken
with less wind today as a result. What has been most significant
about the winds has been their direction bringing in smoke from
fires burning in Montana. I doubt there will be much additional
activity from those fires now that temperatures are much cooler
and some rain is falling, at least for the fires further south
over the state. The smoke we are seeing currently is likely
residual from burning earlier in the week. I don't expect the
smoke to just clear out since winds will be decreasing, but at
least a slow improvement can be expected over the next couple of
days.

Temperatures will be chilly tonight as clear skies and
weaker winds will promote more efficient radiational cooling. Some
mountain valley locations are expected to dip near to or below
freezing with frost possible by Saturday morning. Likeliest
locations to see frost will be Republic, Deer Park, Northport,
Priest River and sheltered areas near Sandpoint, in the Silver
Valley along the St. Joe River valley. Precautions should be taken
to protect any sensitive vegetation against frost and freeze
damage. Temperatures will remain seasonably cool for the start of
the weekend. Higher clouds will begin to increase over the region
from west to east late in the day. Radiational cooling Saturday
night is not expected to be as strong due to the cloud cover with
a better chance for temperatures remaining above freezing that
night. /SVH

Sunday: The weather on Sunday will be mild with afternoon
temperatures climbing into the low to mid 70s over the majority of
the Inland Northwest. The models are in good agreement that a
frontal system will reach western Washington by mid to late
afternoon. Expect increasing mid and high clouds through the day.
Light east winds in the morning will transition to south winds
between 10 and 15 mph in the afternoon. The increase in winds
should help disperse any smoke that lingers into Sunday.

Sunday Night and Monday: Our highly anticipated rain chances will
arrive Sunday night into Monday. Not everyone will get the rain
that they want with the arrival of the front. West of the
Cascades and up to the Crest will have a good shot of a quarter
inch of rain Sunday night. Unfortunately, the central Washington
rain shadow will be in full force Sunday night into Monday. Mid-
level westerly flow along and behind the front will limit rain
amounts to a few hundredths at best for place like Wenatchee,
Moses Lake, Omak, and Grand Coulee. By Monday morning the
interaction of the front with the rising terrain of north Idaho
should yield a tenth to a quarter of an inch of rain for the
Panhandle Mountains as well as the Blues in far southeast
Washington.

Tuesday through Friday: An unseasonably deep 500mb trough is
expected to reside over the Northern Rockies for the majority of
next week. While the medium range models are in decent agreement
that our pattern will provide cooler than average temperatures and
better than average chances for precipitation, the timing of
shortwaves moving through our longwave trough remains in question.
At this time, it looks like this cool and showery pattern will
favor precipitation over the mountains. However, some rain for our
lowlands and into the Columbia Basin can't be ruled out. The
evening GFS run forecasts a vigorous shortwave for Wednesday, and
if that were to verify places like Moses Lake, Wenatchee, and
Ritzville would have a shot of decent rain. Winds will be breezy
occasionally through the week as well as transient surface lows
accompany the passage of shortwaves. /GKoch

&&

.AVIATION...
12Z TAFS: East winds have transported smoke from Montana
wildfires into the area. Tonight ceilings and visibilities have
not been impacted to the degree they were earlier but MVFR
ceilings and visibilities could result at times due to the smoke.
Fire activity is expected to be less today in western Montana due
to the cooler temperatures and increase moisture. This expected to
result in improving conditions this afternoon. /SVH

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Spokane        66  41  67  45  71  47 /   0   0   0   0   0  70
Coeur d'Alene  65  38  67  40  71  47 /   0   0   0   0   0  80
Pullman        64  38  68  42  73  47 /  10  10   0   0   0  80
Lewiston       70  43  73  47  76  53 /  10  10   0   0   0  60
Colville       71  36  70  37  73  46 /   0   0   0   0   0  50
Sandpoint      66  33  68  34  68  46 /   0   0   0   0   0  80
Kellogg        61  34  65  37  69  45 /  10  10   0   0   0  80
Moses Lake     73  39  72  42  74  49 /   0   0   0   0   0  20
Wenatchee      74  47  71  49  72  48 /   0   0   0   0  10  20
Omak           76  41  73  45  71  45 /   0   0   0   0   0  20

&&

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

&&

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Spokane WA
623 AM PDT Fri Sep 15 2017

IDZ001>004-026-027-WAZ031>038-041>044-161330-
Northern Panhandle-Coeur d'Alene Area-Idaho Palouse-
Central Panhandle Mountains-Lewiston Area-
Lewis and Southern Nez Perce Counties-Northeast Blue Mountains-
Lower Garfield and Asotin Counties-Washington Palouse-
Moses Lake Area-Upper Columbia Basin-Spokane Area-
Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands-Wenatchee Area-
East Slopes Northern Cascades-Okanogan Valley-Waterville Plateau-
623 AM PDT Fri Sep 15 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of North Idaho...
North Central Idaho...Central Washington...East Central
Washington...North Central Washington...Northeast Washington and
Southeast Washington.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.