912 FXUS66 KOTX 090734 AFDOTXArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Spokane WA 1234 AM PDT Tue Sep 9 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Showers and thunderstorms expanding across the region Tuesday through Thursday.
- Areas of smoke and haze through the week, especially near wildfires.
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.SYNOPSIS... The chance for showers and thunderstorms across the region will increase Tuesday through Thursday. While some areas have seen an improvement in air quality, areas of smoke and haze is expected to continue through the week, especially near wildfires.
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.DISCUSSION... Today through Thursday: The low pressure system off the coast of the PNW will continue making its way eastward into the area, bringing moisture and unsettled weather to the region for the next few days. Days with best chances of wetting rains include today and Thursday, though there are chances for widespread but very light showers on Wednesday. Later this morning, there is a 20-40 percent chance of wetting rains (0.10 inches or more) in the Cascades. On Thursday, the Lewiston, Pullman, Camas Prairie, Blues, and Central Idaho areas have a 50 percent chance or more of seeing wetting rains. With the lift and instability provided by the low, today through Thursday see continued widespread chances (10-20 percent) for afternoon and evening thunderstorms. Areas where rainfall amounts are higher have a better chance (20 percent and above) at seeing some stronger thunderstorms. While PWATs through Thursday will be 100-150 percent of normal, they increase to 150-200 percent of normal on Thursday. These wetter thunderstorms could bring localized heavy rainfall rates in addition to gusty winds and small hail. Burn scars may have to be monitored for any flash flooding concerns should any stronger thunderstorms move over them. Temperatures today and tomorrow will be in the mid 80s, but then will cool down to the mid to high 70s by Thursday, which is right around normal for this time of year. Relative humidities will also improve through the week.
Friday through Sunday: With PWATs continuing to be 150-200 percent of normal through next weekend, chances of more widespread wetting rains increase Saturday through Sunday. There will be a brief transition on Saturday between the current low moving out of the area and another low moving in right behind it. Temperatures will increase slightly on Saturday, but will come right down on Sunday as the low makes its way inland. Cluster analysis seems to favor this as well, with lower heights moving over the area for all clusters. The location of where these lower heights will be is still unclear. Temperatures will continue lowering slightly and into the mid 70s over the weekend. Early next week has much less cluster agreement, but early signals are beginning to show higher heights and a slight increase in temperatures.
Smoke and haze, especially near wildfires, is expected to continue through the week. An Air Quality Alert has been issued for parts of Washington and Idaho and currently go through midday Thursday. /AS
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.AVIATION... 06Z TAFS: Hit and miss showers and thunderstorms will be of concern for most terminals for the next 24 hours. Cells could contain gusty outflow winds up to 30 kt. The best chances for thunderstorms will be in the Cascades (KEAT-KS52) from 21-03z. Ceilings will stay at VFR for the forecast period.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND/OR ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: High confidence in VFR conditions. Low confidence of terminals being hit by showers and thunderstorms.
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Confidence descriptors: Low - Less than a 30 percent chance Moderate - 30 to 70 percent chance High - Greater than a 70 percent chance
For additional probabilistic information for NWS Spokane airports, please refer to the Aviation Dashboard on our webpage: https:/weather.gov/otx/avndashboard
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.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs... Spokane 85 57 84 58 78 56 / 20 20 10 30 40 40 Coeur d`Alene 86 58 84 59 78 56 / 10 20 20 40 50 50 Pullman 80 52 79 53 73 51 / 20 30 20 70 50 50 Lewiston 85 62 85 62 78 60 / 20 30 20 70 60 50 Colville 85 46 85 47 80 46 / 30 20 20 20 50 30 Sandpoint 83 52 83 54 76 51 / 20 20 20 40 60 60 Kellogg 84 57 82 59 75 56 / 30 30 20 70 70 70 Moses Lake 83 56 84 57 80 55 / 50 20 20 20 40 20 Wenatchee 80 61 84 63 83 61 / 60 20 30 20 40 20 Omak 85 58 88 61 85 59 / 40 20 10 10 30 20
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.OTX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...Air Quality Alert until noon PDT Thursday for Central Chelan County-Moses Lake Area-Northeast Mountains-Okanogan Highlands-Okanogan Valley-Upper Columbia Basin-Waterville Plateau-Wenatchee Area-Western Chelan County. ID...Air Quality Alert until 10 AM PDT this morning for Northern Panhandle.
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NWS OTX Office Area Forecast Discussion