High Wind in Oregon, December 14, 2002

NORTHEAST OREGON/SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
250 AM PST SAT DEC 14 2002

A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT
THROUGH MONDAY. EACH SYSTEM WILL BRING A ROUND OF PRECIPITATION AND
INCREASED WINDS. LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL REMAIN 30-50 KNOTS THROUGH
SUNDAY NIGHT AND WILL MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE WHEN A DISTURBANCE
MOVES OVER THE AREA. SATELLITE SHOWS THE FIRST DISTURBANCE
APPROACHING THE COAST. THE VAD WIND PROFILE SHOWS 30 KNOT WINDS NEAR
THE SURFACE AT PENDLETON. WINDS HAVE DECREASED AT THE SURFACE BUT I
EXPECT THE WINDS TO PICKUP AGAIN...PARTICULARLY IN HIGHER
ELEVATIONS...AS THE  GRADIENTS INCREASE LATER THIS MORNING. WILL
ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY...BLUE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS FOR TODAY. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT EARLY THIS
MORNING IN THE LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN AND YAKIMA AND KITTITAS VALLEYS
ALLOWING PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP. WINDS IN THE THE SOUTHERLY WIND ALSO
BRING WARM AIR FOR ANOTHER MILD DAY. SUNDAY THE TEMPERATURES WILL
COOL DOWN ABOUT 10 DEGREES AS COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVES OVER THE AREA.
COONFIELD

EXTENDED...A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES
CIRCULATING THROUGH THE UPPER TROUGH WILL KEEP WEATHER UNSETTLED
THROUGH THE PERIOD.  THERE SHOULD BE A BRIEF BREAK BETWEEN SYSTEMS
AS ONE LOW MOVES OUT AND ANOTHER PUSHES IN FOR THE END IN THE
EXTENDED TIME FRAME.  TIMING OF DISTURBANCES IS
DIFFICULT...GENERALLY ONE CYCLING THROUGH EVERY 12 TO 24 HOURS.
THESE TROUGHS WILL PULL IN A COOLER AIR MASS ALLOWING SNOW LEVELS
FALL DURING THE WEEK.  BY THURSDAY NIGHT...SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE AS
LOW AS THE PDT AND ALW AREAS.  MJB.

PDT 875  ALW 875  PSC 97475  YKM 976

.KPDT...NONE.

ORZ041>050-WAZ024>030-151300-
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
500 AM PST SAT DEC 14 2002

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON

.DAY ONE... TODAY

A HIGH WIND WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE BLUE MOUNTAINS...
FOOTHILLS...AND GRAND RONDE VALLEY THIS MORNING. WINDS WILL INCREASE
TO 30 TO 40 MPH AS A DISTURBANCE PASSES OVER THE AREA. STRONG LOW
LEVEL WINDS WILL MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE. IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS THE
HIGHEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG RIDGE TOPS. IN THE GRANDE RONDE VALLEY
THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE NEAR LADD AND PYLES CANYONS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION KEEPING
WEATHER UNSETTLED.  STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE AREA  SUNDAY
NIGHT AND MONDAY AS ANOTHER STRONG DISTURBANCE MOVES THROUGH. SNOW
LEVELS WILL FALL BY EARLY NEXT WEEK...INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR
SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.