Hail in Washington, May 20, 2004

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE WASHINGTON
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
230 PM PDT THU MAY 20 2004

.SYNOPSIS...AN UPPER LEVEL TROF WILL REMAIN OVER THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH FRIDAY CONTINUING THE THREAT FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS. A STRONGER WEATHER SYSTEM WILL DROP DOWN FROM BRITISH
COLUMBIA STARTING ON FRIDAY NIGHT AND LINGER OVER THE AREA THROUGH
THE WEEKEND. EXPECT COOL TEMPERATURES AND SHOWERY CONDITIONS INTO THE
WEEKEND.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

MOIST UNSTABLE CONDITIONS WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
AGAIN ON FRIDAY. IN FACT...LOOKS LIKE INSTABILITY MAY KICK THINGS OFF
BY MID-MORNING AND BECOME VERY ACTIVE BY LATE AFTERNOON AS A STRONG
ENFORCING DISTURBANCE MOVES DOWN FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA. SHOWERS
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND MUCH COOLER TEMPERATURES ON TAP
AS COLD MOIST AIR MOVES DOWN FROM CANADA. /MWJ

SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
TROF AXIS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST BRINGING REGION UNDER RELATIVELY
DRIER NORTHWEST FLOW.  GFS AND ECMWF MODELS DIVERGE SLIGHTLY ON
FORECAST SOLUTIONS AFTER TUESDAY BUT MAIN IMPACT IN DISCREPANCIES
ARE SOUTH OF OUR FORECAST AREA. WEAK DISTURBANCES EMBEDDED IN
NORTHWEST FLOW WILL BRING BRIEF PERIODS OF SHOWERS. /MWJ

 &&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

SPOKANE        051 064 045 053 040/ 40 60 60 60 50
COEUR DALENE  048 060 044 053 040/ 50 60 60 60 50
PULLMAN        047 061 043 054 039/ 30 60 60 60 40
LEWISTON       053 069 050 062 044/ 30 60 50 60 50
COLVILLE       046 064 043 055 041/ 60 50 60 60 50
SANDPOINT      044 061 042 054 037/ 60 60 60 60 60
WALLACE        041 059 042 053 036/ 60 60 60 60 60
MOSES LAKE     050 075 050 066 046/ 30 20 40 50 30
WENATCHEE      056 068 049 066 043/ 30 30 40 60 30
OMAK           049 072 045 062 041/ 40 30 50 60 50
&&

.OTX...
ID...NONE.
WA...NONE.