487 FXUS66 KPQR 281024 AFDPQRArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Portland OR 324 AM PDT Sun Sep 28 2025
.SYNOPSIS...Dry conditions become wet and cool for the work week. Multiple frontal systems will bring periods of widespread rain and breezy winds to the region. The first will be Monday, followed by the strongest system Tuesday through Wednesday, with unsettled conditions continuing through Friday.
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.DISCUSSION...Sunday through Saturday...Dry and mild weather will transition to a wet and cool pattern through today with inland high temperatures in the upper 60s to upper 70s. A significant pattern change is on deck for the PacNW as a series of frontal systems associated with an upper level parent low in the NE Pacific Ocean will send a series of fronts into the region resulting in periods of widespread rain through the work week.
The first front is expected today and will bring increasing clouds, southerly winds with precipitation by tonight/early Monday morning. Breezy southerly winds are expected along the coast with gusts up to 30 mph starting this afternoon through early Monday morning. This will be a relatively quick-moving system with stratiform rain this evening turning to scattered showers by Monday morning. Rain amounts suggests 0.40"-0.80" along the Coast and Coast Range, 0.25"-0.50" along the Cascades, and 0.10-0.40" for inland valleys.
The next frontal system is still expected to be stronger than the first, impacting the region Tuesday into Wednesday. Winds could be more impactful with this front, especially along the coast. NBM indicates anywhere from a 25-50% chance of wind gusts reaching at least 50 mph along the coast within a 24 hour period ending 11 PM Tuesday. However, significant spread exists within GFS, Euro, and Canadian ensemble members on strength of the winds with a more likely scenario being widespread gusts of 35-45 mph with maybe a few isolated gusts of 50-55 mph. Some timing uncertainties continue, as well, but generally expect winds to increase along the coast Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning, peaking late Tuesday afternoon through the evening. Winds inland don`t look strong at this point with only a 5-10% chance of gusts reaching 40 mph in the valley. Best chances are for gusts up to 25 mph, locally up to 30 mph as the front passes. Another widespread band of rain will move through the area Tuesday afternoon/evening through early Wednesday, with showers continuing through the day Wednesday as well as an increasing chance (15-25%) of post-frontal thunderstorms in the afternoon. Rain amounts are expected to be higher with this system than the first one. Rain amounts with system range from 0.60"-1.00" along the Coast and Coast Range, 0.30"-0.80" along the Cascades, and 0.30-0.50" for inland valleys.
For Thursday into Friday, ensemble guidance remains in good agreement that the unsettled/active pattern will continue. However, uncertainty increases in specific details. The parent low pressure system looks to finally move onshore sometime Thursday into Friday, though there`s quite a bit of spread as to where this low will make landfall with models suggesting landfall between the OR/CA border and the Olympic Peninsula. Given this uncertainty, rainfall totals for the latter part of this week are also varied. Latest ensemble means suggest another 0.50"-0.75" along the coast, 0.20"-0.70" for the Cascades and 0.25-0.50" in for inland valleys. Given the cool and wet conditions on deck for this week, it looks like the death knell for the 2025 Fire Season might be struck. However, we won`t really be able to call the season over until we see how much precipitation hit the ground.
Next weekend, looks to be on the dry side models having and upper level ridge returning to the Pac NW. /42-HEC
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.AVIATION...VFR conditions will persist for inland locations through the majority of the TAF period. A moderate onshore push, which will coincide with a weak frontal passage, could bring MVFR conditions (20-30% probability) down the Columbia River towards KPDX around 14Z Sunday, with improvement back to VFR around 17Z Sunday. Marine stratus will remain well established along the coast and result in predominately IFR/LIFR conditions through the TAF. There could be brief periods of MVFR conditions at the coast, but confidence in occurrence and timing is low, with the best opportunity for improved flight conditions from 21Z Sunday through 00Z Monday. Light to calm winds will become more southerly ahead of the front, generally under 10 kt inland and 10-15 kt with gusts up to 25 kt along the coast.
KPDX AND APPROACHES...Predominately VFR conditions through the TAF period. A marine push could result in MVFR conditions (20-30% probability) impacting areas at or near the terminal starting around 14Z Sunday. Any lowered flight conditions at or near the terminal should improve back towards VFR around 17Z Sunday. Light and variable winds become southerly around 5-7 kt. /42
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.MARINE...A frontal passage today will increase southerly winds across all waters as well as result in building seas. Expect southerly winds 10-20 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Increasing to 15-25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Along with isolated gusts up to 35-40 kt, by late morning/early afternoon. Seas will also remain elevated in the 9-11 ft range with a dominant period of 12-14 seconds. As a result of these conditions have issued a Small Craft Advisory for all Waters to include the Columbia River bar through tonight. As Monday approaches, winds are expected to fall below Small Craft criteria. Seas also are expected to subside towards 7-9 ft.
Have also issued a dense fog advisory for all marine waters as dense fog will reduce visibility to 1 NM or less through this afternoon.
Another, more potent frontal boundary will move into the waters late Monday night/Tuesday morning through Tuesday night. There is high confidence in widespread Gales across the waters, with 75-95% chances of gusts up to 45 kt. Chances of storm-force gusts of 55 kt or higher are around a 10-20% probability across the waters. Driven by strengthening winds, seas will quickly build toward 15-19 ft, with a continued 10-20% chance of reaching 20 ft, especially beyond 30 NM. Seas look to slowly subside, but remain above 10 ft into the latter part of next week. /42
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.PQR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...None. WA...None. PZ...Dense Fog Advisory until 1 PM PDT this afternoon for PZZ210- 251>253-271>273.
Small Craft Advisory until 5 AM PDT Monday for PZZ210-251>253- 271>273.
Gale Watch from late Monday night through Wednesday morning for PZZ210-251>253-271>273.
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NWS PQR Office Area Forecast Discussion