Heavy Snow in Washington, January 9 to 10, 2008

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
958 PM PST WED JAN 9 2008

UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION

.UPDATE...THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM IS NEAR THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
COAST AND RADAR RETURNS ARE BEGINNING TO INCREASE IN THE WESTERN
PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH SNOW REPORTED IN REDMOND AND RAIN
IN THE DALLES. HAVE ALREADY ISSUED SNOW ADVISORIES FOR THE KITTITAS
VALLEY AND EASTERN COLUMBIA GORGE AS ALL MODELS SHOW SUFFICIENT QPF
FOR 2 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW BY TOMORROW MORNING. MODELS CONTINUE TO
SHOW GENEROUS QPF IN THE WASHINGTON CASCADES AS WELL SO CURRENT
HEAVY SNOW WARNINGS LOOK WARRANTED. THE SITUATION IN CENTRAL AND
NORTH CENTRAL OREGON IS TRICKY. MODELS ARE SHOWING ANYWHERE FROM
0.25 TO 0.50 OF PRECIPITATION IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. WOULD BE
CONCERNED ABOUT AN ADVISORY OR WARNING THERE BUT WITH GOOD WARM AIR
ADVECTION AHEAD OF THE FRONT TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO RISE TO
THE MID 30S LATE TONIGHT AND END THE THREAT OF SNOW. THOUGHT ABOUT
ISSUING A SNOW ADVISORY BUT WITH ONLY A 6 HOUR OR LESS WINDOW FOR
SNOW...DECIDED THAT MOST LIKELY IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. IT COULD BE
CLOSE IN AREAS WEST OF HIGHWAYS 97 AND 197...ESPECIALLY NEAR LA PINE
AND SUNRIVER. FORECAST IS GENERALLY IN GOOD SHAPE. WILL ISSUE AN
UPDATE TO REFLECT NEW SNOW ADVISORIES...TO ADJUST SNOW AMOUNTS IN A
COUPLE OF ZONES AND POSSIBLY TO LOWER TEMPERATURES IN WALLOWA
COUNTY. PERRY

&&

.AVIATION...MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO SNOW AND LOW CEILINGS WILL BE
LIKELY IN AREAS IN AND NEAR THE CASCADES...INCLUDING KRDM...KDLS AND
KYKM THROUGH 18Z TOMORROW MORNING AS A WEATHER SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH
THE AREA. OTHER PORTIONS OF THE AREA WILL SEE MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS
WITH OCCASIONAL HIGH MVFR CEILINGS AROUND RAIN SHOWERS. CONDITIONS
WILL IMPROVE AFTER 18Z WITH GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS AND RAIN
SHOWERS THROUGH TOMORROW EVENING. SURFACE WINDS WILL PICK UP LATE
TONIGHT AND 10 TO 20 KT WINDS WITH WITH GUSTS TO 25 KTS AT
KRDM...KPDT...KALW AND KPSC. PERRY

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 250 PM PST WED JAN 9 2008/

SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT...THE NEXT UPSTREAM
PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IS APPROACHING THE COAST THIS AFTERNOON AND
WILL MAKE LANDFALL THIS EVENING. THE INITIAL ONSET OF SNOW FROM THIS
SYSTEM WILL BEGIN LATE THIS EVENING ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES...WITH PERIODS OF HEAVY
SNOW CONTINUING THROUGH THURSDAY AND FOR MOST OF THURSDAY EVENING.
TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BY THURSDAY EVENING ALONG THE CENTRAL EAST
SLOPES WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 18 INCHES. ACCUMULATIONS ALONG THE EAST
SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES WILL RANGE FROM 8 TO 16
INCHES. WILL ISSUE A HEAVY SNOW WARNING FOR WASHINGTON ZONES 501 AND
502...WHICH WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM PST TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT PST
THURSDAY NIGHT.

THE AFOREMENTIONED SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ON
THURSDAY. IN ITS WAKE ANOTHER...SOMEWHAT BETTER ORGANIZED...UPPER
LEVEL SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT FOR
ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW...MAINLY IN THE MOUNTAINS. THEN AN UPPER
LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY  NIGHT FOR MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS...EXCEPT FOR
SOME SLOP OVER SNOW ALONG THE CRESTS OF THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON
CASCADES. THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL  SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE TO THE
WASHINGTON CASCADES LATE FRIDAY NIGHT FOR INCREASING CHANCES OF SNOW
AFTER MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY NIGHT ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL
WASHINGTON CASCADES.  POLAN

LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A DISTURBANCE WILL RACE
ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY BRINGING SHOWERS TO THE REGION. AS THIS
SYSTEM MOVES EAST HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO BUILD INTO WA/OR WITH
DRIER CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY. BY MONDAY A STORM SYSTEM WILL TAKE
AIM ON THE TWO STATE AREA ALONG WITH BREEZY WINDS. THIS SHOULD RAISE
SNOW LEVELS AND BRING SHOWERS TO MOST PARTS OF THE AREA WITH SNOW
ACROSS AREA MOUNTAINS. AS THE STORM SWEEPS EAST...COLDER
TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH DRIER CONDITIONS SHOULD MAKE ITS WAY INTO
THE REGION TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  30  40  30  43 /  70  50  20  20
ALW  32  42  35  44 /  70  50  20  20
PSC  30  41  32  42 /  70  40  20  10
YKM  27  38  27  39 /  80  30  20  10
HRI  30  42  32  43 /  70  40  20  10
ELN  25  34  27  37 /  80  40  20  20
RDM  27  42  27  42 /  90  70  30  10
LGD  28  36  31  39 /  70  60  30  30
GCD  26  38  28  40 /  80  50  30  20
DLS  32  40  34  43 /  90  50  30  20

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR ORZ041.

WA...HEAVY SNOW WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT PST THURSDAY NIGHT FOR WAZ501-
     502.

     SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR WAZ024.

     SNOW ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THURSDAY FOR WAZ026.

&&

TI:RRG
FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON
83/97/83

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
415 PM PST WED JAN 9 2008

UPDATED FOR HEAVY SNOW WARNINGS FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES.

ORZ041>044-049-050-501>506-WAZ024-026>030-501-502-101415-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON-NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-
CENTRAL OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-
WALLOWA COUNTY-FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES-JOHN DAY BASIN-
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON-KITTITAS VALLEY-
YAKIMA VALLEY-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON-
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS-
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
4 15PM PST WED JAN 9 2008

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

HEAVY SNOW
     EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
     OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON

THE NEXT IN A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE
REGION TONIGHT. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP
THIS EVENING OVER THE EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON CASCADES. A
HEAVY SNOW WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES. FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE
HEAVY SNOW WARNINGS PLEASE SEE PRODUCT PDXWSWPDT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

HEAVY SNOW THURSDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING
     EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
     OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON

SNOW THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT
     NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON, NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS
     OF OREGON

THE STORM SYSTEM THAT ARRIVES TONIGHT WILL SWING ACROSS THE REGION
THURSDAY. THE HEAVY SNOW WARNING ISSUED FOR THE WASHINGTON CASCADE
EAST SLOPE ZONES CONTINUES THROUGH THURSDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING.
FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS WARNING PLEASE SEE PRODUCT PDXWSWPDT.
THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS COULD SEE SNOW ACCUMULATIONS MEETING
SNOW ADVISORY CRITERIA ON THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. ELSEWHERE
LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW OR RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED.

THE UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY NIGHT AND
SATURDAY AS A WEAK WARM FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE
REGION. AN UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE MAY BRING DRIER
CONDITIONS TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY FOR HEAVY SNOW ALONG THE EAST
SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WASHINGTON CASCADES FROM 10 PM
PST TONIGHT UNTIL MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT.

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

GRAPHICAL FORECASTS OF WEATHER HAZARDS OUT TO SEVEN DAYS
ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:

WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PDT/CURRENTHAZARDS/HWO.HTML

ALL LETTERS IN THE ABOVE URL ARE LOWER CASE...EXCEPT THE H IN
CURRENTHAZARDS.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
842 PM PST WED JAN 09 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0900 AM     HEAVY SNOW       3 S CLE ELUM            47.16N 120.93W
01/09/2008  E8.0 INCH        KITTITAS           WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD.

0900 AM     HEAVY SNOW       7 NNW EASTON            47.32N 121.25W
01/09/2008  M14.0 INCH       KITTITAS           WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            14 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. SNOW HAD JUST
            STOPPED AT THE TIME OF OBSERVATION.

&&

DWEBER

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
850 PM PST WED JAN 09 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0900 AM     HEAVY SNOW       3 S CLE ELUM            47.16N 120.93W
01/09/2008  E8.0 INCH        KITTITAS           WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN A 12 HOUR PERIOD. ELV 2490

0900 AM     HEAVY SNOW       7 NNW EASTON            47.32N 121.25W
01/09/2008  M14.0 INCH       KITTITAS           WA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            14 INCHES OF NEW SNOW IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. SNOW HAD JUST
            STOPPED AT THE TIME OF OBSERVATION. ELV 2480

&&

DWEBER