696 FXUS66 KMFR 031748 AFDMFRArea Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Medford OR 1048 AM PDT Fri Oct 3 2025
.DISCUSSION...Updated aviation discussion.
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.AVIATION...03/18Z TAFs...IFR/LIFR along the coast will break up with VFR developing this afternoon. Lower conditions including IFR/LIFR will return tonight with a little light rain/drizzle, especially from around Gold Beach/Port Orford northward. This will last through most of Saturday morning.
Areas of moderate to heavy rainfall are impacting portions of Modoc County (near Alturas) and also southern Lake County east of Lakeview with MVFR ceilings/visibility. Rain should taper off to showers this afternoon with conditions improving to VFR. Elsewhere inland, any ceilings should lift to VFR this afternoon. Some MVFR and terrain obscuration will redevelop tonight into Saturday morning, especially west of the Cascades with some light rain possible near and north of the Umpqua Divide. Foggy areas could develop in the valleys/basins of norCal and over the East Side where it has recently rained. -Spilde
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.PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 900 AM PDT Fri Oct 3 2025/
DISCUSSION...An update has been issued to nudge up the probability of light showers in Coos and Douglas counties with a weak trough late this evening into Saturday afternoon. Elsewhere, the influence of the trough will be limited to creating mostly cloudy to cloudy sky cover.
First, with the preceding trough continuing to shift southeastward, showers today will be focused upon Modoc County. Secondarily, a slight chance to chance of showers will also linger into the early afternoon for eastern and southern Siskiyou, and Lake counties.
West side low clouds are expected Saturday night into Sunday morning, then a warming and drying trend will pick up steam Sunday afternoon with clearing skies. Warm and dry conditions are expected Sunday through Wednesday. As early as Wednesday evening, or as late as Thursday night, the next trough is forecast to track south-southeastward with at least a slight chance of showers, at least for the coast. For the afternoon forecast issuance, we will look to more precisely update the probability of an inland track that would bring precipitation chances into our area versus the contingent of solutions that are less progressive or even retrograde the trough farther offshore.
PREV DISCUSSION... /Issued 304 AM PDT Fri Oct 3 2025/
DISCUSSION...Three upper level features will be the drivers of our weather through Tuesday, and forecast confidence is high through that time. The first is an upper trough now over the Pacific Northwest and northern California coast area. The second is a much weaker trough late Friday night into Saturday night, and the third will be a strong ridge building in from the west early next week.
The trough will track southeast into Nevada on Friday and the shower activity will also shift in that direction. After the morning commute, expect showers to be most numerous for Modoc and southern Lake counties while sunny breaks in the clouds gradually developing on the west side and northern portions of south central Oregon.
Tonight into Saturday, there is better model agreement with a stronger depiction of a weak shortwave and associated weakening cold front in the northwest flow behind the trough. This has resulted in the need to introduce a slight chance to a chance of light showers to Coos, Douglas, and northern Curry counties. This disturbance looks to have a shallow pool of moisture to work with the highest probability of meager, barely measureable showers late tonight until shortly after sunrise on Saturday. Meantime, morning low clouds are expected in Josephine and Jackson counties. Cloud cover will be more sparse on the east side and lead to a chilly start to Saturday with lows in the upper 20s and lower 30s expected. Douglas County is likely to have lifting but persistent low cloud cover later Saturday, while other areas are expected to see increasing sun in the afternoon.
Freezing and subfreezing temperatures are possible for many areas east of the Cascades, with cooler temperatures following on Saturday night and Sunday morning. A freeze watch remains in effect for tonight and Saturday morning for these areas, and details can be found at PDXNPWMFR.
Lower clouds return to southwest Oregon late Saturday night into Sunday morning with a northerly flow between ridging far offshore and the trough, which will be centered over the Rockies.
High pressure aloft will be the dominant feature with a warming and drying trend Sunday at least into Tuesday, possibly into mid- week. After a week of cooler temperatures, inland highs by Monday will be slightly above normal. This also includes light easterly winds with Brookings joining in the slightly above normal temperatures for Monday and Tuesday.
Model uncertainty quickly increases for Wednesday with a majority of GFS and ECMWF ensemble members holding on to a weakening ridge. About 20% of ensemble members bring showers to the coast by Wednesday night. As time progresses into next Thursday, the probability of the next trough pushing out the ridge increases. But, the track and strength of the trough are in question. The probability of showers Thursday into Friday looks to be highest for northern portions of our area. -DW/BPN
AVIATION...03/12Z TAFs...Marine stratus has settled over the Oregon coast, bringing IFR to LIFR ceilings and visibilities mainly to the north of Cape Blanco. Improvement to VFR is expected late this morning or early in the afternoon. Areas of MVFR/IFR are likely to return late this evening and tonight.
Area valleys and basins may see periods of MVFR ceilings and/or visibilities early this morning, along with area of terrain obscurations. Any areas of lower flight conditions should clear out late this morning, with VFR expected through the rest of the TAF period. Scattered showers are possible through this afternoon, and brief periods of gusty winds and lower visibilities are possible in heavier precipitation. -BPN/TAD
MARINE...Updated 200 AM PDT Friday, October 3, 2025...Seas will gradually subside tonight with light winds. Winds become northerly on Friday and increase, but should remain below advisory levels. A thermal trough will strengthen along the coast Saturday with moderate to strong north winds expected Saturday night through Sunday night, strongest south of Cape Blanco. Steep, hazardous seas will develop as well. Conditions should improve early next week. -Spilde/BPN
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.MFR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... OR...Freeze Watch from late tonight through Saturday morning for ORZ029-031.
CA...Freeze Watch from late tonight through Saturday morning for CAZ084-085.
PACIFIC COASTAL WATERS...None.
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MAS/MAS/MAS
NWS MFR Office Area Forecast Discussion